I have a few who will come out before I drop a rat in, but I've never been bit. Sometimes if it's one that's known to shoot out I'll grab it and put it back inside, then I'll get a rat and drop it in. If I already have the rat in hand I'll just drop it into the bin and the snakes usually turn around and go back inside to eat. If you really think that he would bite you, have a small plastic shoe box or a small flower pot handy, and use it to guide him back into the tub as you are dropping the rat in. Once they know there is food in the bin, they forget about coming out and go back to eat.