Ive seen that comment about carpets only eating mice also. But as ive looked around, i see that more and more breeders start their offspring out on rats since people hate to have to feed an adult a billion mice for it to be satisfied. I just got my first carpet and love him. He hasnt eaten yet but the breeder i got him from has had him on rat pinks and said he has had no problem feeding him even once. As far as the live part, i havent seen as much about that. My carpet will be feeding on F/T and has been so im not worried.