[ Tate shows his new pet off, and whatever hope Michael had for Tate complimenting his work gets swept away by the pride of sharing such a happy moment with him. He beams, looking at Tate and the snake with all the joy in the world, and when he brings up food, he nods and starts rummaging through the box. ]

Alive is more natural. They'll run away from her, and she'll be able to hunt them. It gives her exercise and lets her use her instincts.

[ But some people think that's cruel. He bites his tongue at the last moment, locking that thought away. Tate can come to that conclusion on his own, if he wants to. He pulls out what he's looking for, a small container of already dead mice - a starter's kit, so to speak, just to get Tate started. He should probably charge for this, but he won't. ]

Maybe put them in the freezer before they rot?