oh my god

I am interested in science, but I have no formal qualifications in the field, to really offer an answer to my own query, so hoping someone can have a bash, even in theory. There are a lot of people that get a TDS and say they are merely pet holes, and a lot of people that do not buy them...

it has just occured to me that the last time my royal ate was just before i changed the hide. could this be a trigger that cause him not to eat? not worried (yet) he's still looks in good shape, just a pain in the arse keep chucking rats away.