I just purchased 4 more BPs over the last week. All had only been fed mice and only live. Their first meals with me were all FT small rats. They are just fat and happy now. All curled up and digesting what is probably the biggest meals they have ever had. Rats are definitely the way to go. I have an '04 male that has been on rats since I got him last August. He is over 1200 grams now. One of the males I picked up the other day was been on mice and is an '03. He is only about 350 grams. Big difference!