Disturbing footage has surfaced on social media of a young boy cuddled up with a giant snake.
The video was first shared to Reddit under the caption "Snake Couch" and has racked up more than 36,000 upvotes in the space of just 24 hours.
In the clip, a child can be seen lying across a leather couch playing on a portable video game—but he's not alone.
Joining him for an extended spot of relaxation is an alarmingly large snake which can be seen draped over the boy's neck and around his legs.
The camera pans the length of the reptile's body, while the boy continues on with his game seemingly oblivious to any potential danger.
However, the seriousness of the situation was not lost on those watching on Reddit.
WeirdSysAdmin wrote: "He could kill the guy and the couch at the same time."
ChrisFox-NJ agreed: "They have quite some bite force as well, and plenty of sharp teeth, I wouldn't wanna experience any of this. Guess that kid wouldn't stand a chance."
SweetMaam expressed similar concerns about the setup, commenting: "Not sure your pet should ever be wrapped around your kid's neck." Acceptable_Dog1424 agreed: "This is scary."
A purported former snake owner, writing as Diplodocus114, did seek to offer some defense of the reptiles though, noting that "if recently very well fed they are fairly docile."
However, even they acknowledged that snakes of this kind can still be prone to biting "if startled or in a bad mood."
Another reptile lover, posting as e-s-p, meanwhile, warned: "My snakes still try to eat me sometimes. They don't give a f*** about the security and warmth I provide."
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment.
According to small animal and exotic pet expert Lianne McLeod, DVM, some of the biggest challenges of looking after a large snake of this kind comes with housing and feeding them safely.
She told Spruce Pets that a length of eight feet represents the "safety threshold" for anyone wanting a large snake.
"Any snake that reaches an adult length of more than eight feet requires a very secure enclosure and experts often recommended that two people be present to handle such large snakes," she said. "It is a good idea to have one handler for every four feet of the snake."
She also warns that feeding is a "vulnerable time" for larger snake owners. "It is recommended that there at least be another person present when feeding to assist if necessary."
