How to Tame Animals in Hytale: Complete Beginner's Guide to Pets & Mounts

One of the most satisfying things you can do in Hytale is turn a wild animal into your loyal companion. Whether it's a horse galloping across open meadows, a wolf standing guard while you mine, or a dinosaur carrying you through dangerous caverns — the animal taming system adds a whole new layer to the game. This guide covers everything a beginner needs to know: how taming works, which animals you can tame, what food to use, how to ride mounts, and how to keep your pets happy and healthy. How Taming Works: Step by Step The taming process in Hytale follows a simple pattern, but each animal has its own quirks. Here's the general flow: Approach wild animals slowly with their favorite food in hand to begin the taming process The 5-Step Taming Process Equip the right food — hold the animal's favorite food in your hand (see the food chart below) Approach slowly — walk, don't run. Some animals require crouching Wait for the animal to notice you — it will turn toward you and show a question mark or curiosity indicator Feed when prompted — interact with the animal to offer the food Repeat until hearts appear — each feeding fills the taming bar. When it's full, hearts appear and the animal is yours Important: If you scare the animal by moving too fast, swinging a weapon, or getting hit by a mob nearby, the taming progress resets. Always clear the area of hostiles before attempting to tame. Every Tameable Animal & Their Favorite Food Each animal has a favorite food that tames them fastest. You can technically use other foods, but it takes significantly more feedings — sometimes double or triple. Always bring the preferred food. Zone 1 — Emerald Grove (Forests & Meadows) AnimalFavorite FoodFeedings RequiredRideable?Difficulty HorseApple3-4YesEasy SheepWheat2-3NoVery Easy ChickenSeeds2NoVery Easy RabbitCarrot3-4NoMedium (shy) WolfCooked Meat3-5NoMedium CatRaw Fish4-6NoHard (skittish) Zone 2 — Howling Sands (Desert & Savanna) AnimalFavorite FoodFeedings RequiredRideable?Difficulty CamelCactus Fruit4-5YesEasy LizardInsects2-3NoEasy Zone 3 — Borea (Arctic & Tundra) AnimalFavorite FoodFeedings RequiredRideable?Difficulty PenguinRaw Fish3-4NoEasy YakRoot Vegetable4-5YesMedium Underground Jungle AnimalFavorite FoodFeedings RequiredRideable?Difficulty DinosaurLarge Raw Meat5-8YesHard For more on finding and taming dinosaurs specifically, see the Hytale Dinosaur Guide. Where to Find Each Food Knowing the favorite food is half the battle — you also need to know where to get it. FoodHow to Obtain AppleBreak oak tree leaves, found in Zone 1 forests WheatHarvest wild grass or grow from seeds on a farm SeedsBreak tall grass — drops naturally all over Zone 1 CarrotFound in NPC village gardens, can be farmed Cooked MeatKill any animal for raw meat, cook at a campfire or furnace Raw FishFishing or killing aquatic mobs near rivers and lakes Cactus FruitHarvest from cacti in Zone 2 desert biomes InsectsBreak rotting logs and leaf piles in any zone Root VegetableDig up from tundra soil or farm in cold biomes Large Raw MeatDropped by large animals (boars, bears, etc.) Riding Mounts Once you've tamed a rideable animal, getting on and moving around is straightforward. Mounts make exploring Hytale's vast open world significantly faster and more enjoyable How to Ride Stand next to your tamed mount Interact (right-click) to climb on WASD to steer normally Sprint key for a speed boost (drains stamina) Jump to dismount (or interact key again) Mount Comparison Each mount has different strengths. Choose based on where you're traveling: MountSpeedStaminaBest ForSpecial Trait HorseFastHighGeneral travelCan jump fences and low walls CamelMediumHighDesert zonesNo speed penalty on sand YakSlowVery HighArctic zonesNo speed penalty on snow, extra knockback resistance DinosaurMediumVery HighRough terrain & cavesHandles steep slopes and uneven ground well Pro tip: Keep multiple mounts tamed at different bases. A horse at your main base for general travel, a camel at a desert outpost, and a yak for arctic expeditions. This saves the hassle of dragging one mount across the entire map. Caring for Tamed Animals Tamed animals aren't maintenance-free. Here's how to keep them happy and healthy: Feeding Feed regularly to maintain health — a hungry animal heals slower Any food works once tamed, but their favorite food gives a health boost Food troughs can be placed in enclosures so animals feed themselves (requires the farming bench) Housing Building a proper home for your animals keeps them safe and prevents them from wandering off. Fence enclosures — surround an area with fences at least 2 blocks high Gates — use fence gates so you can enter without animals escaping Shelter — a roof protects from environmental effects Space — give animals room to move. Cramped enclosures can cause animals to become stressed Light — torches or lanterns prevent hostile mob spawns inside the enclosure at night Build spacious enclosures near your base to keep your tamed animals safe and organized Naming Interact with a tamed animal while holding nothing in your hand to open the naming interface. Give your pet a custom name that appears as a floating label above their head. Leading with Rope Craft a lead using string/fiber materials Attach to a tamed animal by interacting while holding the lead Walk to guide them — the animal follows at your pace Tie to a fence post — attach the other end to keep the animal in place Taming Difficulty Tips Some animals are harder to tame than others. Here are specific strategies for the tricky ones: Rabbits (Shy) Always crouch when approaching — they spook at normal walking speed Stop moving when the rabbit looks at you, let it come to you Place carrots on the ground and back away — sometimes easier than hand-feeding Cats (Skittish) The hardest surface animal to tame — requires extreme patience Crouch and hold raw fish, then stay completely still Let the cat approach you on its own terms — don't chase it Nighttime can be easier as cats are more active and curious after dark Wolves Find a lone wolf, not one in a pack — packs are harder to manage If the wolf is growling, back away and wait for it to calm down Cooked meat works best — raw meat is accepted but fills the bar slower Once tamed, wolves actively defend you from hostile mobs Dinosaurs (Advanced) Clear all hostile mobs from the area first Bring at least 10 pieces of large raw meat (they're hungry) Crouching is essential — they react aggressively to fast movement See the Dinosaur Guide for detailed location and taming instructions Farm Animals vs. Wild Pets Taming serves two distinct purposes in Hytale: PurposeAnimalsBenefit Farm animalsSheep, chickens, cowsProduce resources (wool, eggs, milk) over time Companion petsWolves, catsFollow you, defend you, or provide company MountsHorses, camels, yaks, dinosaursFaster travel and terrain advantages For farm animal production, you'll also want to check out the Hytale Farming Guide which covers crop farming, animal products, and the farming bench system. Frequently Asked Questions Can tamed animals die? Yes. Tamed animals can take damage from mobs, falls, or environmental hazards. Keep them fed and sheltered to maximize their health. If a tamed animal dies, you'll need to tame a new one. Is there a taming limit? There's no hard limit on how many animals you can tame, but each animal you lead increases server load slightly. Most servers handle dozens of tamed animals per player without issues. Can I tame hostile mobs? In vanilla Hytale, only passive and neutral animals can be tamed. Hostile creatures like Trorks and skeletons cannot be tamed. However, modded servers may add taming capabilities for additional creatures. Do tamed animals teleport to me? Not automatically. If you travel far from a tamed animal, you'll need to go back and retrieve it with a lead, or ride it with you. Wolves will follow you within a certain range, but other animals stay where they are. Can I breed tamed animals? Animal breeding is not yet available in the current version of Hytale but is confirmed as a planned feature for future updates. Taming animals is one of Hytale's most rewarding systems — it turns the wilderness from something you survive to something you inhabit. Start with easy animals like sheep and chickens to learn the mechanics, then work your way up to wolves, horses, and eventually the prized dinosaur mount. More Guides: How to Find Dinosaurs in Hytale → How to Farm in Hytale → Browse All Hytale Creatures → Browse All Hytale Items →