Somebody posted that it is NOT just the hungry rats that bite. In my experience I have found that to be true on numerous occasions.

Sometimes my won't take the rat. Thus, I'm forced to cage it. I feed and water it well. I then offer the rat up again in a few days. Many times these well fed rats have offensively attacked my snake.
Needless to say I immediately grabbed the rat!

This is why I now feed by hand, while the rat is trying to bite me.

Which reminds me, I'm getting off here now to get on EBay to buy some long hemostats. The long tongs won't hold the rats.