I don't own a pixie but for your question about is it normal for him to eat better in his enclosure I would say yes. I have pacmans and none of them ever did good out of the enclosure trying to eat, like you said they seemed more interested in trying to get out. Kind of think of it this way, Would we like it every time it was meal time that someone picked us up and moved us outside to eat away from your safe and secure home we wouldn't really be hungry either. I think its totally normal he feels better eating in his enclosure instead of outside of it.