The video shows 14-month-old Alyssa Guarino happily playing with the deadly Burmese python, called Nay Nay.
The snake slithers across her body and coils around her, as the baby girl laughs and cuddles the reptile with a look of fascination on her face.
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The clip – which has been viewed more than 120,000 times - was originally posted in 2013 and attracted dozens comments accusing dad Jamie of putting Alyssa in danger.
One wrote: "These parents need to be arrested!"
Another added: "One day that snake will see your child as food. Please - I don't want to see that on the news."
But dad-of-two Jamie - who has been working with snakes since his teens - has now defended the clip, insisting his daughter was in no danger during filming.
He said snakes are loving pets which have an unfair reputation due to their appearance – and many YouTube users agreed, saying that snakes are no more dangers to babies than cats or dogs.
One viewer wrote: "Snakes make great pets and, with supervision, are great around babies."
Another added: "People, if you think a little, even dogs can kill babies... but snakes are usually docile and calm pets."
Burmese pythons are among the six largest snakes in the world and, while they don't have fangs, are capable of overpowering and killing a fully-grown adult.
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