What to do if the rat starts fighting back

I'm going to be feeding my BP a small live rat for the first time. I've been feeding frozen for almost 2 years now but she hasn't eaten in 3 months so I wanted to try live.

If the rat starts biting or scratching her, any tips or suggestions of the safest way (for me, my BP and the rat) to stop the rat?

Shove a pencil/tongs in its mouth

I've always used a pen or stick to put in the rat's mouth while it's being constricted. As soon as the stick goes near their mouth they latch on. That or you can restrain the head with your hand, but it's risky.

Take rat out by grabbing it at the scruff of its neck or at the tail

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Is it fighting back while being constricted or just being defensive without being coiled?

If coiled: Put something in it's mouth. I use chop sticks. Wait till the rat passes before releasing it.

If not coiled: This is fairly unusual behavior for a rat. It is probably spooked or panicked. Most rats will just sit, explore, or groom itself. Take it out and wait until it's more calm before putting it back in with your snake. Keep it well fed and watered. A scared rat is a dangerous rat.

I'll be feeding tonight so I thank you all for the info

If I can, I try to keep it from biting with some tongs, but sometimes it is impossible. I've had a bite here and there but honestly, they are not a big deal!! Your snake is wearing armor plating (scales) and is a killing machine. If the snake is not constricting the rat and the rat is fighting the snake, just remove it. If the snake is hungry, it will kill the rat even if it does bite.

Aggressive rats only become a problem when they are left with a snake that is not hungry for too long. Eventually the rat turns on the snake and sometimes the snake will not defend itself.

Supervise your feedings and everything will go smoothly.

That is why I prefer to feed pre-killed rats. So much easier that way but if your snake does not take it then...

Just keep in mind that it is normal for snakes to go off feed for months.

When she constricts, try to make sure the rats head is away from her, use a pencil or something to shove in it's mouth. I'll even hold the feet sometinmes if it's scratching her real bad.

While constricted shove part of your tongs in the rats mouth until its dead, and itll be fine it doesn't last long at all.

I've easily, conservatively, fed over 24,000 live feeders in the years I've been keeping ball pythons. Never have I shoved anything into a rats mouth or interfered in the feeding, other than to remove feeders that aren't constricted and eaten. Believe it or not, our ball pythons are perfectly capable of dispatching an appropriately sized live prey item without any interference from their keeper. :) Even oddly hit strikes, none of my snakes have suffered anything more than a random scratch. None of those scratches been anything more than cosmetic (no blood).

You guys were right, she knew what she was doing. She constricted around the rat in such a way that it was impossible for the rat to bite at her.

Well the 3 1/2 month fast is over...hopefully she'll go back to f/t