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1) There is no exact time period. For me personally, I don't handle a new animal until it is feeding regularly. To me, that is a sign that it is acclimated to its new environment.
2) Babies should be fed regularly, but they are designed to eat when food is available, and do without when it isn't available. I feed appropriate size meals weekly, but that is more to accommodate my schedule than the snakes. I have been known to feed neonate snakes twice weekly, if I feel that they need to gain size or weight more quickly. Regarding handling after feeding, I try not to disturb them for about three or four days after eating. There is no hurry to handle, the babies are usually squirmy regardless.
3) I have never used Reptilinks, and I doubt that I ever will. I don't see the point of feeding them something like that when I know that mice give them proper nutrition.
4) I do not normally use supplements with rodent eating snakes (although I may use calcium for a snake that has recently laid eggs), and I don't think that many breeders do. I have bred and raised many hognose and other colubrids that lived long healthy lives without supplements.
5) UVB lighting may benefit hognose, but I don't think it is necessary. I have never used it with this species, and again, most breeders don't- and the snakes grow, reproduce, and thrive without it.
If you are worried about feeding the snake, then feed it. I believe that neonate colubrids can eat fairly heavily without health issues. I also believe that sufficient feeding should take precedence over your desire to handle it. While it is true that a baby snake can go weeks or sometimes months without eating, it is important that they be fed regularly. It's been my experience that snakes that are fed well as neonates will be healthier, less prone to feeding strikes, and will reproduce better.
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