Most people are happy to settle with a cat or a dog, but this man shares his home with a slightly more bizarre pet - a GIANT leech.

And not only does he let the creature live in his house - he lets it suck his blood too.

In the odd - and slightly sickening - clip, the giant leech has attached itself to its owner's arm as it enjoys a midnight snack.

As the blood-sucking leech tucks in, the man calmly shines a torch across the colossal creature, which measures approximately the size of his forearm.

It is thought the clip was filmed in Japan, but the exact location is not clear.

When a leech bites, it attaches itself to the skin and will stay there feeding on blood until it is full.

It then drops off its prey to digest.

(Image: Wikimedia)

But contrary to popular belief, most leech species do not feed on human blood, and prefer to feast on small invertebrates which they eat whole.

Leeches have also been used for medicinal purposes, such as plastic and reconstructive surgeries and to prevent blood from clotting.

In recent news, a Chinese hospital discovered a 7cm leech attached to the inside of a boy's throat.

The leech had got into the child's airway after the boy stopped to drink water from a pond on his way home from school.