[pipitous]

They're getting the child used to the snake,so when the child is older he wont be afraid of them. he's apparantly going to be a snake charmer. it's a relatively common practice.

QFT!

Saw the program surrounding that.
Apparently the village where they are is very poor and the only way for people to survive with a decent wage is to entertain tourists with the "snake charmer" displays.
The father, himself a snake charmer was taught by his father in the same way.

Eventually that baby will grow up (if he manages too) into a snake charmer like his father and help provide essential financial aid for maybe him and all his siblings, father, mother and probably grandparents.
In a region that is so poor with little or no work for unskilled hands, there is nothing else he could do to bring in the same amount of money.