No they are not. Last time I checked a ball python does not have an appetite for artificial plants. You simply want to avoid anything with spray coating that is fuzzy like or anything attached in a chain looking pattern since that can get the snake stuck in.
Branches from outside need not be anything soft wood or with phenols like evergreen branches. You can bake a branch for 3-4 hours at 250 degrees and kill anything living including spores. You also need to season wood before baking or boiling since unseasoned wood (green) can mold if put in a tank due to high moisture content and split in unwanted ways if baked. For that reason the vast majority of people should probably not grab anything from outside unless they are familiar with plant species and how to properly season and treat wood.
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