Nicki Minaj believes her performance at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) would have been better if she could have had a real live snake on stage with her.

The 31-year-old rapper was disappointed that she couldn't perform her track, Anaconda, with the six-foot serpent on Sunday night after it attacked a female dancer during the rehearsal on Saturday.

When asked if she thought the performance would have been better with the reptile, she replied: "Yes!"

The dancer was taken to hospital to receive treatment after the snake lashed out at her, but she made a full recovery and performed on Sunday night.

Nicki told TMZ.com: "She's fine. She recovered and she performed. She's a trooper and I love her."

It is believed that an Anaconda was used in the rehearsal - in a direct reference to the track - and although it is a non-venomous snake, they can often transmit bacteria, which could potentially lead to a serious infection.

Despite not being able to have the slithery animal join her for the performance, Nicki didn't let it get her down as she enjoyed shaking her pert derrière and grinding up against her dancers while dressed in a tiny green sequinned two-piece.