is there any chance you are putting your hand close to the front of his head or over his head? they usually hate that and jerk their head back to protect it.

why do you feel it necessary to feed outside the cage? I never do. if you take him out to feed, it is possible he has come to associate being picked up with getting a meal....the feeding response is no fun to have your hands near

I feed with tongs in the cage. He can get very assertive when I approach the cage - hoping it's time to eat - but when I put my hand in the cage he knows that that isn't something that happens when food is involved, and he backs down immediately.