In Valheim, many wild creatures are key sources of food or crafting materials. But some can also be tamed and kept by you. They will no longer attack, some can be used as mounts, and they can even start a family! Taming in Valheim is a somewhat time-consuming process, but it’s very practical and another activity you can enjoy in the world of Valheim. In total, you can keep five animal types, each with its own traits. From boars in the Meadows to asksvins in the Ashlands, there are creatures everywhere that can become your pets. Today we’ll guide you through how to tame, breed, and make use of these animals.
Valheim animal taming guide: How it works
As of now, you can tame five animals in Valheim: boars, wolves, lox, asksvin, and chickens. While the first four are found in the wild, chickens have different requirements. You’ll need to earn the trust of all five creatures to actively use them and negate their aggression.
To tame an animal, you’ll need:
- An enclosed pen. You can use fences, dig a pit in the ground, or build a house. The key is that the wild, untamed animals cannot escape.
- A food item for taming. Each of the five animals prefers different foods—more on that below. Throw the food into the pen to fill their stomachs and build trust.
- You must stay nearby, but not too close, so the animals don’t get spooked.
Taming takes about 30 minutes. The animal will eat 3 pieces of food and then be full for 10 minutes. During this, you’ll see yellow hearts, and if you look closely, its taming percentage will rise. You’ll receive a message once the process succeeds. After that, you can name your animal. Congratulations! You’ve tamed a creature in Valheim.
It’s also worth looking out for and taming animals on a server—especially in co-op combat, they can be very handy. Rent a Valheim server and play together. You just need a bit of patience to make the process work. Once you have two animals, you can grow your numbers further.
Valheim breeding: Reproduction and growing your herd
If you have two (or more) creatures of the same species, they can breed under certain conditions. The total number of animals must not be too high—there’s a per-species limit. The animals need to be fed and calm to reproduce. Gender does not matter. You also need to be nearby, about 64 meters within range.
If these conditions are met, pink hearts appear above the creatures. Once enough hearts have shown, a new baby will appear after a while. They take a bit to grow up, but are tame immediately. You can repeat this until the maximum per species in an area is reached. Creatures with stars pass those on to their offspring.
Valheim animals list: All tameable creatures
Valheim boars: Taming and breeding for meat and fighters
Boars are the first animals you can tame. They spawn in the Meadows and are easy to find. Early on you may kill them for meat and leather scraps, but you can dive right into breeding if you prefer. Boars love raspberries, blueberries, carrots, onions, turnips, or mushrooms. Toss them some food and wait patiently until they’re tamed. Tamed boars are no longer afraid of fire. They can also fight at your side, though they’re not very strong. However, they are a good source of boar meat and leather scraps if you breed them.
Valheim wolves: Taming strong companions
Wolves are absolute powerhouses and among the best companions you can have. You’ll find them in the Mountains, where you can first tame them. They love meat, so bring plenty for the process. Especially strong are 2-star wolves, which only appear at night and can only be tamed at night. Alternatively, wolves are also good for butchering for resources, as long as you can breed more.
Valheim lox: Tame and ride
You’ll find lox in the Plains, and thanks to their size they’re hard to miss. Their favorite foods are barley, cloudberries, and flax. Once tamed, a lox can serve as a mount. Craft a Lox Saddle from 10x leather scraps, 20x linen thread, and 15x black metal bars, then equip it to the lox. You can cover long distances quickly and even move while overencumbered. A lox mount is perfect for the wide-open Plains and Valheim’s mid-game.
Valheim chickens: Breeding for eggs and ingredients
Chickens work a bit differently, as they aren’t found in the wild. You first need to get an egg. After defeating the boss Yagluth, you can buy them from Haldor for 1500 coins, or sometimes find them as loot in sealed towers on the Plains. You should get two eggs right away and hatch them. They need a roof over their heads and a steady heat source for 30 minutes.
Hatched chicks are already tame and grow into hens and roosters. Two animals can produce new eggs when you feed them seeds. Both eggs and meat from chickens are excellent food sources. Keep your Butcher knife ready to obtain meat and feathers.
Valheim asksvins: Taming and breeding
Asksvins are strange reptiles with large sacs on their backs. You’ll find them in the Ashlands at the end of the game. Build a strong, secure pen so they can’t escape. They only eat Smoke Mushrooms, Wineberries, and Fiddleheads. As reptiles, they lay eggs when breeding, which work just like chicken eggs. Hatch them in a safe, warm place.
Once you reach this biome, you should find and tame asksvins. Their drops are extremely valuable for crafting the region’s armor and weapons, and they’re also a great mount. They can swim across water and lava without you taking damage. As with boars and wolves, there are starred asksvins. They’re stronger and drop more loot.
Conclusion: Tame animals in Valheim for resources and mounts
Taming and raising animals is an important part of Valheim. You can secure valuable resources for crafting, gather ingredients for cooking, or ride together on the two mounts. The key is to bring the right food and give the animals enough time to settle in. After that, they’ll stay loyal by your side and can reproduce. Use these mechanics to build your own animal farm.
