7 year old too old to breed?

Is a 7 year old female virgin too old to breed for the first time?
Will there be possible complications?

No, they produce viable eggs their entire lifetime if I remember correctly. I think there is a 40 year old female ball python at a zoo that only recently started breeding...

No way, she should produce great eggs for you at that age if she's healthy.

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Originally Posted by LGray23

No, they produce viable eggs their entire lifetime if I remember correctly. I think there is a 40 year old female ball python at a zoo that only recently started breeding...

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Thanks for the responses!
I understand that BP females can produce eggs up into their older years, but I wasn't sure how an ''older'' first timer would do. :)

I'm breeding now for the first time a female that hatched in 2003 :D. She locked already and I hope for a nice clutch :D.

As far as I understand older actually makes it easier. If the female is at a healthy weight (1500 g or more) then a seven years virgin should be golden

I have a 10 yr old virgin I'm breeding this year :)

My female I just breed this past season is now 12. She was an 11 year old virgin. Out of 8 eggs, 2 died right away, and only 1 didn't make it of the last 6.

7 is a prime age for a ball python. They're not like mice, that have issues if they aren't bred within a certain window. :)
Humans also don't have a problem with having their first child later in life.

A 7 year old ball python is still a young adult. They can produce eggs right up until the couple few years of their life, from what I understand--perhaps even right to the end. The first clutch on a good-sized animal is no more problematic than the middle, or last. :)

Actually, something I'm curious about... what would be the LATEST that anyone would breed a female ball python?

Say, 20 years? 30? When they start having minor issues that you don't want to develop into big issues?

Basic question, when would you retire a female breeder? Or a male breeder, for that matter.

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Originally Posted by SilverDemon

Basic question, when would you retire a female breeder? Or a male breeder, for that matter.

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That's a good question :D +1

I would stop breeding them when they fail to produce fertile eggs for 2 years in a row.