I feed live because it's more convenient for me. The largest rats I get are medium sized, so they're not too much of a danger (like a large or jumbo would be) but I still supervise everyone, including my 08's with pups. I spend about half an hour to an hour to make sure they feed right - right for the snake, and right for the rat. Once they've struck, I check to see a) where the rats face is so no one gets bit, and b) if the snake is constricting in the right spot and hard enough. I once walked away for ten minutes after Isis struck at her rat, came back and it was still alive and wiggling, because she'd bitten it's but and coiled around it's tail. I hadn't noticed it..but the rat laid there in agony for ages. I felt so bad afterward..So I've always made sure that everyone's coiled around the food so it's a quicker death. No one cares if i pick them up for a few seconds and rearrange their coils, so it's all good.

I've got a soft heart =/ The only reason I watch them eat is to make sure the snakes are safe and it's as quick as possible for the rats.

If I could get a hold of a good stock of frozen rats, and actually have a place to put them, I'd feed F/T. I don't have the heart to PK them myself. I ended up keeping two weaned pups a couple weeks ago cuz they were way too cute Of course, I spent the extra money and gas to drive partway across town to get two more rats though heh.

But yea. This is my feeding procedure. I don't think you're a bad person. I think you could have done it better. But you had good intentions.