I've always fed live because my mom would shoot me with my own gun if she found dead mice in the freezer. Anywho I just always see them as food for my pet rather than a living animal, thus no guilt. Could I own a rat / mouse as a pet? Sure I could, and if I fed that to my snake I might feel a little bad but knowing that the whole reason the mice were bred was as food it takes all the emotional sting out of it; for me any way. Hopefully you can just get used to it, good luck!