---
title: "Why Does a Python Generator Return Values Only the First Time I Loop Over It?"  
description: "Why Does a Python Generator Return Values Only the First Time I Loop Over It?"  
author: "Katherine Sullivan"  
published: 2026-10-17  
canonical: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/117779/why-does-a-python-generator-return-values-only-the-first-time-i-loop-over-it  
category: "Mix Category"  
tags: ["Python", "Coding", "Iterators"]  
reading_time: 1 minute  

---

# Why Does a Python Generator Return Values Only the First Time I Loop Over It?

I’m using a generator to read records in batches, and the first loop works as expected. When I loop over the same variable again, though, nothing prints. Is that normal behavior, or am I accidentally changing the generator somewhere?

```python
def get_ids():
    # Yield each ID instead of building a list all at once.
    yield 101
    yield 102

ids = get_ids()

# The first loop consumes the generator's values.
for item in ids:
    print(item)

# This loop has no values left to consume.
for item in ids:
    print(item)
```

Would converting it to a list be the right fix if I need to reuse the values, or is there a better pattern for a [large dataset](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/160125/explain-the-concept-of-data-pagination-in-the-context-of-retrieving-large-datasets-from-a-database)?


---

Original Source: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/117779/why-does-a-python-generator-return-values-only-the-first-time-i-loop-over-it

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