I wouldn't worry to much about live. They are very adept at what they do. Basically when you are going to want to watch out for a bite is if they strike and don't have the best shot where they grab on. As long as you are standing by with tongs(or fingers, Coleslaw), or something to stick in the rats mouth, should they catch a rat by the tail or something you should be fine.
Also making sure your feeder is well fed and watered will help. Mine take down small live rats no problem. They all seem to have so much better feed response to live. I say just go with it, that's what your boy is telling you he wants. As for the hides, I take the big kids out before feeding. But that's mostly so they have more room. The little guys get to keep theirs in, and will usually come flying out of it and snag the rat.
Sorry I can't offer f/t advice. None of mine get f/t. I started out doing that, well that was no fun, it was a pain in the butt, so it didn't last long. Then I moved on to p/k, which was ok. But now everyone gets live. Ten thousand times easier, and no wasted rats.
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