Live is no problem until it is! I got a very large female that was raised on live and eating huge rats. I didn't and still don't have a problem with her killing the rat like you said. It's when you have to get in there after a strike to the rats butt and now this big honkin rat is mad and biting and clawing for its life and YOU have to choke it to death for your snake. I put my hands down in the box with a angry rat and 3000 gram ball python that was new to me and hoped for the best. Feeding frozen thawed is like defrosting a steak so easy but not all will do what we prefer.