I do pretty much the same thing as Snake Lab.

I have one of the mouse transport bins from a lab, and it works a charm. You can close the lid and the snake will feel safe, like in a hide, but it can still breathe because of the mesh on the top.

I jiggle the rat around for about 15 seconds. If the ball shows no interest, I put the rat near the head and close the tub. I wait for about 30 minutes. 9/10 times the rat is gone