Baby Burmese pythons take their time, but the newest additions to the Australian Reptile Park are on track to hatch in time for the holidays.

Several of the reptiles emerged from their eggs yesterday and more are expected to show themselves today.

It is the Somersby park's first batch of new baby Burmese in about three years. Senior curator Liz Vella said hatching could take as long as four or five days.

The latest batch of eggs was laid in late September and about 22 new serpents are expected to emerge.

Ms Vella said the eggs were kept in an incubator, where temperature, humidity and other conditions were monitored. Hatched snakes were transferred to an enclosure but would not feed for at least a couple of weeks, Ms Vella said.

The snakes will shed their skins before being offered their first food of baby mice and rats.

The snakes are about 30 centimetres long when they hatch and will grow to an average of three metres in adulthood, though some may reach up to six metres.

The park, which already has about 16 Burmese pythons and is a known breeding centre for the snakes, will send most of the new creatures to Australian zoos.

The Newcastle Herald

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