I SUCCESSFULLY VOODOO-ZOMBIE CHICKEN DANCED HIM INTO STRIKING!
Seems like all he needed was to be properly courted when he wasn't busy with something else. Man, am I relieved. I'm gonna up the prey size next feeding and try again similarly, but jeez am I happy. Can't wait to get a few feeds in him so I can start handling him, he's so gorgeous!
Thanks for the advice above all, even though I haven't had to use it for now he's clearly not the easiest feeder so I may have to use all the stuff I picked up, hehe.