A FATHER in the US has defended the decision to let his 14-month-old daughter roll around with a four metre python.

The disturbing footage, posted to YouTube, shows young Alyssa tangled up with snake handler Jamie Guarino’s 10-year-old pet snake Nay-Nay.

Mr Guarino, 34, from Michigan, told Barcroft TV he filmed the interaction to prove snakes are not as dangerous as their reputations suggest.

“When people see the way Nay-Nay is with Alyssa they mostly react with fear or negativity and I don’t understand why,” he said.

“As you can see the snake is roaming around and it has no interest in biting her, or choking her or swallowing her. This is an embedded fear and I think people are just brainwashed.”

He said he hoped people would not judge him.

“Snakes can be and are loving animals,” he said.

“My daughter was in absolutely no danger.”

Mr Guarino said he hopes to open a reptile zoo with his two daughters Krista, 10, and Alyssa, now 3.