Healthdirect Australia, a government-funded health service, explains that you must treat any snake bite as potentially life-threatening. Applying a pressure immobilisation bandage, preparing for CPR, and injecting adrenaline when necessary are the first aid responses. Museums Victoria supports the need to treat any snake bite, such as the white-lipped snake, with caution. It is a collection of zoology, geology, palaeontology, history, First Peoples, and technology. So, if you want to equip yourself with the skills and knowledge to properly respond to it, read further. Information on snakebite first aid management, free resources, and training are discussed below.
What is the First Aid to White-Lipped Snake Bites?
Healthdirect suggests doing the below first aid responses for the bites of any species, such as the white-lipped snake.
Applying a Pressure Immobilisation Bandage
Healthdirect recommends this first aid step for any snake bite. It advises firmly bandaging the bitten area and keeping the casualty calm until an ambulance arrives. A free online first aid course teaches you how to properly do this and other types of treatments.
Preparing for CPR
Healthdirect explains that some people may need cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Online resources may help and in-person CPR training may also equip you with the skills of doing this correctly in times of emergency.
Injecting Adrenaline
Healthdirect informs its readers that there are people who experience severe allergic reactions from snake bites. It may include the white-lipped snake, so it advises watching out for the following symptoms of anaphylactic shock.
- Difficulty in breathing and/or talking
- Swollen tongue and/or throat
- Collapse
- Paleness and floppiness
- Wheezing
Injecting adrenaline needs the knowledge of doing it properly which you will learn from anaphylaxis first aid training.
Where Do You Find White-Lipped Snakes in Australia?
Museums Victoria, which discusses the white-lipped snake on its website states that its distribution is in Southeastern mainland Australia and Tasmania. If you live in these areas, a first aid course may provide you with the skills and knowledge to manage their bites. CPR First Aid (RTO NO 21903) has training centres in these and other parts of the country.
Where are the First Aid Training Courses for the White Lipped SnakeBite?
The same training organisation delivers a first-aid course at Unit A Level 1, 45 Adelaide Street, Brisbane. Its website also provides information on the address of its Melbourne and Sydney branches.
Are White-Lipped Snakes Dangerous to Humans?
Museums Victoria warns to treat the bites of white-lipped snakes with caution, like any other snake bites. But it assures that this species is not known as highly dangerous to humans.
Where do White-Lipped Snakes Live?
Museums Victoria explains that white-lipped snakes live in most areas such as heaths, sclerophyll forests, and woodlands.Â
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania also discusses how their local counterparts shelter beneath ground debris, rocks, and logs. The government agency also highlights how their small size helps them forage in winter on fine days since they can quickly heat up.
What is the General Description of White-Lipped Snakes?
Museums Victoria describes the white-lipped snakes as:
- Having a colour grey, brown, or black
- Having a pale pink color underneath its body
- Lip with a white stripe along the edge
- The length is about 50 meters long
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania explains that the Tasmanian ones have dark olive green to a green-grey colour.Â
What do White-Lipped Snakes Eat?
Museum Victoria states that white-lipped snakes mainly eat lizards and lizard eggs. Its Tasmanian species eat small skinks and frogs according to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania.
What Animals Eat White-Lipped Snakes?
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania lists the following animals that cause danger to the life of white-lipped snakes.
- Domestic and feral catsÂ
- The Laughing Kookaburra
It states that the cats kill this species.
What is the Breeding Cycle of White-Lipped Snakes?
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania explains that ovulation occurs in late spring to early summer. Also, around March or April, they expect the birth of 2-8 young. It further states that Tasmanian White-lipped snakes may only breed once in every 2 years. The resource also explains that this species matures at around 3 years old.
Conclusion
The first aid for white-lipped snake bites is applying a pressure immobilisation bandage, preparing for CPR, and injecting adrenaline if necessary. This species lives in heaths, sclerophyll forests, and woodlands of Southeastern mainland Australia and Tasmania. It’s not known as a dangerous snake to humans, but there is a need to treat its bite with caution. Because you must treat any snakebite as an emergency where you may expect a casualty to experience difficulty in breathing or a severe allergic reaction. To help you prepare for incidents like these, you may want to enroll in a free online course or first aid training. CPR First Aid (RTO NO 21903) provides both on its website and on its training centres in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.Â
