Snakes deserve to live in the wild. But it is not a secret that many snake lovers have them as pets and keep them at home. There is nothing wrong with that as long as you know how to properly take care of them. But when a video of a baby getting wrapped up with a pet python while dad is letting it happen received major backlash online.

This dad owns a 13-foot Burmese python named “Nay-Nay.” Those who have seen the video believes that the father is putting his child’s life in danger. This all started after the dad posted a video of his son ‘playing’ with the snake.

In the video, Jamie Guarino can be heard talking to his daughter and the snake in a baby voice. But because of the video where Nay-Nay wraps its body around his 14-month-old son and he was recording it and not even scared that the snake might hurt the child is bothering a lot of people online. But according to Guarino, he raised Nay-Nay from since it was the size of a rubber band.

The ABC7News reports that Guarino is working as a professional snake handler. He claims that he has the talent of being a ‘snake charmer’ since he was a teenager.

Wikipedia explains that “snake charming” is the practice of appearing to hypnotize a snake (often a cobra) by playing and waving around an instrument called a pungi. A typical performance may also include handling the snakes or performing other seemingly dangerous acts, as well as other street performance staples, like juggling and sleight of hand.

After receiving negative comments on his video, he said, “When people see this clip they mostly react with fear or negativity. And I don’t understand why. This is an embedded fear, and I think people are brainwashed.” He added, “To those of you who might see this video as irresponsible or dangerous, please take a minute. Don’t judge based on fear or something you don’t understand. Snakes can be, and are, loving animals.”

The father has his point given the fact that he is a snake lover. But many disagree with his point of view. People believe that the father is putting his daughter’s safety in jeopardy.

If you have never felt the strength of a python, remember that these snakes are pure muscle and can squeeze and crush very quickly. It’s not that pythons are aggressive, but squeezing is just something they do instinctively. And when triggered, there is no doubt that it can cause major injury to this child. And this is where the concerns of those who have seen the video are coming from.

According to National Geographic, pythons have a generally docile disposition. And attacks on handlers, sometimes deadly, are not uncommon. Also, Burmese pythons are carnivores, surviving primarily on small mammals and birds. But when triggered, they kill by constriction, grasping a victim with their sharp teeth, coiling their bodies around the animal, and squeezing until it suffocates.

Despite the negative feedback, Guarino still insists that his daughter was never in danger with the python. Have you seen the video? Do you think it was right for the others to be concerned about the safety of the child?