Ha, ain't that something! I don't suppose you have any video?
Mine might starting to pick up on his feeding routine too. I weigh him and then feed out of enclosure every week (I know, I know), and I noticed this week when I put him in the weighing bowl that he immediately went into hunting mode. Dinner was still defrosting in another room so it wasn't rat smell, I think he just recognized the sequence of events. Conditioning in action!