From cute axolotls to the monstrous wither, Minecraft has managed to capture the hearts of the players since day one. As various mobs roam the overworld – both passive and hostile – players have conquered most of what the game has to offer. Gamers have created hundreds of structures, tamed most of the animals, and fought epic battles; but it’s isn’t just about finishing the game.
Minecraft is a game where freedom and creativity can coexist. From building your home to defending a large village from raids, players just about had it all—except for one: the Minecraft fox. You may have encountered them during one of your travels and although they are pretty cute and adorable, they’re also rather sneaky. But did you know foxes can be tamed? You can even have one as a pet!
This quick and elusive creature can be tamed but not in the way that you’d think. To tame one, you’ll need skillful planning, patience, and determination as these quick creatures are pretty skittish and won’t go down that easily. Getting near one is nothing short of a miracle, let alone getting near two of them. But with this Minecraft guide, we’ll teach you exactly how you will be able to tame a Minecraft fox and get yourself a brand new companion.
What are foxes in Minecraft?
So, what is a Minecraft fox anyway? Foxes are passive mobs in Minecraft that are nocturnal, naturally evasive, and quick on their feet when they sense danger. They often live in areas like the taiga biome and giant tree taiga biome. Some can even spawn in cold areas such as the snowy taiga biome but will instead have white fur. They tend to spawn in pairs and either fear the presence of creatures or become hostile to anyone within range. Of course, that includes the player, which is what makes foxes so elusive. Once you earn their trust, they will stay loyal to you and might even protect you in some cases as tamed wolves do. So how exactly do you tame a fox in Minecraft? Well, read on to find out.
What items will you need?
Typically, foxes that are found in the wild cannot be “tamed” per se. But there is a special way to get them to follow you! To do that you are going to need a few things before “taming” a fox. You might want to take note that this will require you to progress at least mid-game before doing this little pet hunt as some of the items such as the lead might not be accessible in an early game scenario. If you’re all set, then here is a list of what you will need in order to earn yourself a cute pet fox:
Fences/Blocks
Fences will be used to cage in a fox. As foxes tend to run away the moment you approach it, you must put fences around the area of the fox to prevent escape. You can also use regular blocks such as dirt, cobblestone, and planks as long as it provides a “fenced” area.
Sweet Berries
Sweet berries are a fox’s favorite snack; these will be used to breed and grow baby foxes into adults. They can be collected from sweet berry bushes, a thorny plant found in the wild.
Lead
A lead is an item that lets you leash and guide passive mobs. This will become helpful later on to bring the fox back to your base. To craft a lead, you will need 4 strings (either dropped by spiders or farmed from cobwebs) and 1 slimeball (dropped by slimes) then placed in the right order on the crafting grid (below). You can also acquire leads by looting chests from buried treasures and from the Woodland Mansion.
How To Tame a Fox in Minecraft
Now you are ready to get yourself an adorable fox companion. Remember, foxes are naturally evasive creatures, and although they are nocturnal (which means they sleep during the day), you typically cannot get close to one unless you use crouch/sneak.
Step 1
Search for foxes in the taiga biome. The taiga biome is a largely forested area in Minecraft with mainly spruce trees growing in all directions. The foxes will regularly sleep under the trees during the day so be sure to take note of that.
Step 2
Find two foxes that are close to each other. Foxes often spawn in groups of two or four so there should be another one close by if you find a fox alone.
Step 3
Once you find 2 foxes (preferably sleeping), press and hold the SHIFT button to crouch/sneak. This will allow you to sneak up on the foxes without alerting them. Then fence the area around the fox to prevent him from running away. Be sure to fence both foxes either separately or together. If you fence them separately, you will need to build a connecting fence to make sure both foxes meet for breeding. Take note: Foxes are incredibly skittish so be careful not to scare them when you approach them from behind.
Step 4
Now that you have both foxes caged together, it’s time to breed them. Feed each fox 1 sweet berry and wait until they mate. The baby fox will be your “tamed” fox. As opposed to adult foxes, the newborn baby fox is not afraid of you and thus, will follow you around once they reach adulthood.
Step 5
Feed the baby fox with a lot of sweet berries to hasten its growth rate. Bringing at least 64 sweet berries will be essential in this stage. You will need the baby fox to become an adult first before you can take it back to your base. Otherwise, it will follow its parents instead of following you.
Step 6
Once the baby fox becomes an adult and agreed to abandon its parents, you can freely approach the fox as it won’t be afraid of you. Use the lead to put a leash on the fox and bring him to your base.
Now you’ve got yourself a brand new companion. When you return to your base, be sure to fence the area around it as tamed foxes tend to roam around and they might wander too far. You can also keep it leashed by securing the lead to a fence.
