just to add to what the other people have already said.. I would personally place the snake into the feeding tub first and then drop the f/t rat in. If you already have the rat in there before placing the snake in, the boa may smell it while still in your hands and that is a recipe to get bitten.
I originally only fed my snakes in feeding tubs. Over the last few years, I've switched to feeding in the enclosure (all of my boas are kept on newspaper, so I don't have to worry about them swallowing any substrate when they eat). I've been working on doing some conditioning with my boas, whenever I want to handle them, I mist them with water first. When I want to feed, I don't mist and just place the item at the front of the tank. They seem to be learning that once I start misting, there's no food coming in. They just learn slow. haha

One f/t rat of the right size fed every 2 weeks or so should be fine.

another trick for getting the snakes used to your scent, is to place a t-shirt you've worn (or slept in) into the cage, this will allow them to become more accustomed to your smell and not see you as a threat. Of course, it's not magic, but it might help if you feel they are still rather aggressive/defensive.

Hope some of that info helps...
Enjoy!
-April

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