I have previously owned rats as well. Loved them, and still do. Though, what would make me REALLY feel bad, is if another living animal starved to death because of my own "inadequacies".

I try to keep a "it's just business" opinion about it. Really, if the snake were in the wild, it would be lowering the rodent count on its own anyway. That's what rodents exist for; without them, the ecosystem doesn't work. We are essentially re-creating that ecosystem for the snake in our own home. I have no qualms with that.