They used to be know as Whip snake. A small snake usually not exceeding 50cm in lenght. Their underbelly is a white ranging to a light neurtral colour, though when first born their bellies can be red. The snake's back can be black, green, brown and most commonly, grey. They have as their name suggests a white upper lip and above this white is a stripe of black which extends back past their eye. Most people cannot tell the difference between a white lip and a young tiger snake or copperhead.

White lips feed mostly on small skinks.

They can be found all over Tasmania but are not as common as they used to be, probably falling victim to cats and humans.

The bite of a white lip can affect some people. It is likened to a bee sting. For some the bite is not much to worry about, for others it could be serious.

back to Tasmanian Snakes