Need advice on restraining rat

[damein]

(Let me start out by saying that I'm not sure what forum this should go in. I figured people that work with rats would know best)
So through a string of events, I acquired a rat that is too mean to be a breeder anymore. It's a large white male, no unique markings or anything. It was given to me by someone else who got it from someone else to feed off to my retic.
Well I don't feed live, so that wasn't going to happen. And also, this rat was in terrible shape. I honestly thought it was dead when i first saw it. I WAS NOT going to put that thing into one of my snakes. I'd probably end up with a dead snake lol
Well, things happened and I have a stupid soft jelly heart and now I also have a mean as heck pet rat. (His name is immortan Joe, from mad max)
I've had rats back in the past, but it's been about 8+ years. I figure I'm just going to give him the best life I can till he keels over. He's slowly getting to the point where he takes food from me. (You have to remember, this was a breeder. He's never had any contact with humans)
The problem I'm having is he has a very bad eye. I'm not sure if it was from a female bite or what, but it's pretty sick. I have medication I can put on it to help it, but the problem is, he won't let me get near it.
Let me stress that the only rats I have ever owned were sweet pet rats that loved people. This rat might as well be a different species all together. He is mean as he can be. I get it, he has just never been worked with or even touched. I'm not blaming him.
I went in the other day with gloves to try to grab him to get something on his eye, and we'll just say it did not go well.

I could really use some tips here from people. What is the best way to restrain a rat? Any advice you all can give me would be fantastic. I just need to get some antibiotic on this eye before it gets any worse

[damein]

This is the poor demon basted lol



Edit: I would like to stress that the other eye is fine, and he's fat and happy. He eats and drinks and is living a good life now. I just want to get this eye fixed up now

[KMG]

I think I would get a helper with this one. Id put on some thick leather work gloves to hold the demon rat while my helper medicated the eye.

[Reinz]

Good luck trying that by yourself!

When I used to feed live I could rarely pick up or present the rat without getting bitten.

I'd go with KMG's advice for sure.

[wolfy-hound]

I cull rats that are mean, so all my colony rats(regardless of handling) are super nice.

I would get a antibiotic you can mix with food and just go with that. Putting anything on that eye will be nearly impossible, imo.

[damein]

Any advice on an antibiotic I can mix into food? (Something I wouldnt have to go to the vet for maybe?)
I was doing the ointment because it's what I had left over from a similar injury in my other animals. I'm willing to try anything for sure!