Are ball pythons a domesticated species?

[Snoop_Dong]

If your ball python was large enough and also wide enough to properly swallow humans, he'd most likely eat you if he were to get hungry. So on that basis i wouldn't consider a BP domesticated. Also reptiles don't have mammal type instincts (such as social instincts which are present in both cats and dogs) and inorder to properly "domesticate" them you'd have to change their instincts which without MASSIVE efforts of selective breeding for desired docility; snakes won't become domesticated anytime soon.

[Ghost68]

YES I THINK THEY ARE DOMS+Epoijpig jwpoejfpainaoidgnaeougnaounougnogiuneorunggggg

[Ghost68]

I am sorry about that last post. My computer went crazy. Please disregard the post above. But no I don't think they are domesticated such as dogs. reason being is that dogs have lost pretty much all instincts, while snakes continue to carry most of theirs. Once BP's begin to be hyper active, not headshy, and lose aggression in their feeding response I think then they will have become domesticated. Humans have not handled them for long enough. For dogs it took over 700 years of human interaction.

[AllThatInThemGenes]

no.

The cats are a different story. Actually, i think they run the place.

^ yes to this comment lol

[eldri]

Not yet! Right now they are captive born. Selected for Looks, with no regard for disposition.
Some people even seem to think an aggressive snake is 'cute'!

They *could become Domestic* if folks would breed for 'tameness" as diligently as they do for new colors/patterns--
(Look at the Russian Foxes!) I really wish someone would!