Short answer? YES.

Now, for the reasoning. The ball python trade in Africa is big business, and it's run by some tough guys. Those tough guys, however, are also pretty smart. If the habitat of these animals is destroyed, there won't be any more of them to export. Collecting ball pythons from the wild is, therefore, a reasonably sustainable thing to do with the land.
It's about more than just the individual snakes that are exported. That process could certainly use some improvement--but anything that can be done with the land without clearcutting it is an improvement in Africa.

Most of Africa is very poor. These people need the money for food. If they aren't collecting ball pythons, they will have to be doing something else--and it will probably be more destructive. The wild-caught animal trade is not a black and white issue, there are many shades of grey there, and many factors to consider.