Merry meet all... today is my first day here!

[Jet]

I am new to the site but not to reptiles. I have been handling and rescuing snakes on and off for 36 years. I have always had a weakness for those creatures that are killed due to ignorance and fear and have made it one of my lifes soul purpose to protect. I currently have 2 Columbian Red Tail Boas, 1 Ball Python, 1 Burmese (rescued 1 week ago, @ a cost of $50), 2 scorpions and 33 Tarantulas. I would like to be better educated on the Burmese Pythons (other than the basics). The one just rescued is supposedly 2 1/2 to 3 years old and is only a little under 5 feet. He was being pretty much so starved and only fed 2 feeder mice a montht. He was being kept in a cold carport without any source of heat or light. He also has several bad scars. I immediately held him the evening of his rescue (inside my warm fleece robe) to warm him up as his new home was being prepared. After putting him inside his tank I fed him a huge rat. A few days later I held him again and he seemed quite tamed considering what he must have suffered before reaching me. The following day, I reached inside his cage to change his water and then to hold him. He was hiding underneath his bedding and when I grabbed him he reached around a got me! He sunk his teeth in my hand, coiled around it and then began to chew! Well it has now been 5 days and as of yesterday I am now able to make a fist again! The bruising, swelling along with some nerve damage was quite bad! The day after he bit me, I fed him a "jumbo rat" since he was obviously still hungry from being fed a few days before! After he ate, he kept lunging at my little dog as she passed his tank. As you can probably imagine, I am a bit hesitant to hold him again, but know that I must. Does anyone have any suggestions? I realize that he bit me due to confusing me with prey (also because "I didn't think" to wash after holding my dog). I am holding no grudges and have all intentions to go at handling him as soon as my hand heals. I just need to know if anyone else has suffered such a bite and where do I go from here. This is my first Burmese.