I feed live and dont get me wrong I feel bad for a second esp when they scream but I think of it like a Christmas tree. A Christmas tree grows to get chopped down and be glorified for a month or so and thats its destiny. The feeders whole purpose is to be a glorious meal for my snakes and I am making it happy by helping iit fulfill its destiny. I am sure the feeders are not actually happy, but thats how I get through the cute ones. The nasty lil buggers though, I dont mind watching my snakes chomp on them.