An 8-year-old boy has lived with a giant snake in Dongguang, Guangdong province, for more than seven years.
Bing Zhe's father, who runs a small zoo with many animals, said his son started to live and play with the giant boa when he was just nine months old.
Seven years older than Bing, the snake now measures 4.2 m and weighs 70 kg.
Every night Bing holds the boa as he falls asleep and sometimes uses it as a pillow.
But the snake never hurts Bing and once drove away a cobra seeking to attack him.
Bing's father said the boy and snake have become inseparable.
