How long can a new hatchling Carpet Python go before its first meal?

[Lana's_mom]

I had gotten a 2 week old hatchling carpet python last week in a trade, I didn't know it was so young and hadn't had its first meal until after the trade. So I had left it over night in a temp setup with a pink ASF, didn't eat it. So got it into a 10 gallon setup, left if for a couple of days and than tried a small mouse, seemed to big, so tried a rat pink, still seemed to big. So left it a lone for 48 hours. I had some fresh pink ASFs born last night, so I am trying the paper bag method tonight of putting the hatchling in a paper bag with a pinky ASF, and put the bag in the tank under the light. Plan to leave it over night. The bag has 1 staple to keep it closed, but shouldn't be to tightly closed. I would try pink or fuzzy mouse, but I don't have any right now, waiting on some to be born and raised up a little. I know I am probably more worried about it than I need to be. If I had know that it wasn't a started hatchling I would of turned down the trade. But I have him now and just want to get a meal in him. How long can a hatchling go before taking its first meal? I know I am probably stressing him out more by trying to feed him, so if he doesn't eat the pink tonight is it safe to leave him a lone for a week before trying to feed him again? And if he doesn't eat tonight and I can wait a week, what would the best method be to try and feed him next time. I don't want to stress him out to the point of hurting him, but I don't want him to die from not eating either. All he does during the day is sit on his branch under his light. When I use the temp gun to check temps his body reads temps read around 86 to 90 degrees. I have a UTH on a thermostat under his tank, but he is never on the ground so I don't know how helpful that is for him. The bulb in his lamp is 75 watts I believe, and it is sitting about 3 to 4 inches above his tank, right above his favorite spot to sit on the branch. Thanks for any input.

[Brandon Osborne]

I've had stingy babies go 4 months before taking their first meals. Pink mice are not going to help you. I start my carpets on large hopper mice and they have no problems. Carpets are known for taking large meals. I wouldn't worry just yet. Give him another month and try to reduce movement and handling to a minimum. I'm assuming it's the 75% coastal cross in your sig. Most people will say they are not arboreal, but in my experience they can be very arboreal if given the opportunity. You may offer a perch and present food from beneath the snake if it is perched. Quick movements are what gets their attention. Good luck.

[Lana's_mom]

Thanks. I will move his tank to a different room with less foot traffic tonight. And other than trying to feed him I have not handled him, and I won't until he has eaten a couple of times for me. He has a branch that sits about 4 - 6 inches off the ground in his tank and its his favorite spot to sit. He also has 2 hides, one on either side of the tank, but he never uses them. Thank you so much for the information. It made me feel better

[vangarret2000]

From your post it sounds like you are trying too much too fast. Just trying a bunch of different methods can make it not want to eat even more. Starting a hatchling to eat can sometimes be difficult. Breeders should never sell stuff straight outta the egg like that unless its to someone who knows what they might be gettin into or knows how to handle it.

Where it comes to carpets being arboreal or not depends some on the different breed. Jungles have a tendancy to always climb. Coastals will do it a lot when they are young but tend to mostly stop when they are full grown. I know IJs will climb as well when young but I am not sure if they keep it up in adult hood.