Years ago I imported a pair of vintage "Red Army" combat boots from Siberia.Unbelievably,I scent all my food items with these boots and my results are spectacular. My Russian Rats orgasmically pulsate and writh in explosive ecstasy when "encountering" their prey!!!! I(gasp)hestitate to say it but-they almost seem to be making love to their prey items before consuming them with reckless abandon!!
Sometimes if I put my ear close to their faces in the after glow of their feeding orgy I can almost hear them breathlessly thank me with a slight smile.I know they would slyly wink if only they had eyelids.
Perhaps this technique would help your lil' Russian heat up his feeding response to better "excite" his owner.Your biome sounds positively sinful-tell me what is your temperature gradient since you make no mention??????