The fast strikes without constriction on that rat are defensive, not feeding, strikes. Her way of driving a prey away that she doesn't want to eat right then basically.

How long have you had her? It sounds very recent as you mentioned she's still in quarantine. Sometimes, these adults, when they first come in they give them impression of being easy natured or easy to handle when they really aren't. Davy and Tracy Barker have a write up about this in their book and it's just invaluable information. Basically they say this submissive behaviour at first is more about the snake being in shock and just not really "caring". They call it the "lights are on but nobody's home" syndrome.

As the snake settles in, it begins to engage in it's life. For some of them that means they start exploring, they eat, they allow handling, or alternately they ball up defensively. For others, like your female, they can become very actively defensive and stressed.

We have a snake, Brannagh, that was like yours. She was a pet store find (dumped there literally in a box at their front door). Struck at anything and everyone, the pet store employees were too scared to feed her. She was about 1,900 grams back then. If you do a search here using her name you'll likely find threads where I described our first months with her working to get her settled and safe to be around.

All I can tell you without writing a book here, is that it's about small steps, a committment to working with the snake, about developing safe handling routines, simple routines done over and over until the snake finally gets that you aren't a risk to it, firm and consistent handling, etc. I can't say that all snakes will respond as Brannagh has but I can tell you that the crazy 1,900 gram snake everyone was afraid of, is now a 3,400 gram female that my kids handle. We haven't heard even a hiss out of the big girl in probably 2 years.

Just try to see that she's not being aggressive or mean really. She's an adult snake, without the ability to figure out what's just happened in her life. She doesn't know you and your wife want the best for her. She's just instinctively trying to survive in a situation she cannot even begin to comprehend. It's up to you two to make the right choices for her so she has a chance to become like our Brannagh.

If I can be of any help or support, please don't hesitate to contact me by PM as well as of course in the threads with specific questions. I'm not snake whisperer or expert, but my husband and I have been there with a snake like yours and would be happy to help in anyway we can.