A snake handler in Michigan told InsideEdition he still does not feel he did anything wrong by allowing his 14-month-old daughter Alyssa to play with his gigantic pet python named Nay-Nay. The video he first posted to YouTube generated controversy right away.

"I was trying to show that snakes are not evil creatures, they can be a loving pet despite their bad reputation," Jamie Guarino, 34, said in a video. "When people see the way Nay-Nay is with Alyssa they mostly react with fear or negativity and I don't understand why."

Guarino claims to be have been a snake charmer for 16 years. He says his older daughters — Krista, 10, and Alyssa, 3 — have learned to handle snakes.

Although Guarino's baby playing with a giant snake has sparked controversy online, the family was ready for the publicity. Guarino and daughter Krista have a YouTube channel devoted to snakes. You can catch their snake videos on Twitter, too.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Blue heron are just one of the hundreds of kinds of animals and plants that call the Okefenokee Swamp home. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

Featured

Housing affordability is the top concern for metro Atlanta residents, according to a new survey. (Ben Hendren for the AJC)

Credit: Ben Hendren