How to Tame a Fox in Minecraft: A Complete Guide for Beginners
If you’ve ever wandered through a snowy taiga or a lush forest biome in Minecraft, you may have spotted a cute little fox darting between the trees. These fast and fluffy mobs are more than just eye candy—they can become your loyal in-game companions, but taming them isn’t as simple as right-clicking with some food. In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to tame a fox in Minecraft, plus everything you need to know about where to find them, what they eat, and how to make them trust you.
Whether you’re playing in survival or creative mode, this guide breaks it down step by step so even newer players can follow along.
Why Tame a Fox in Minecraft?
Before we get into the “how,” let’s talk about the “why.” Foxes are one of the few passive mobs in Minecraft that have unique behaviors and cool features. Tamed foxes:
- Pick up and hold items in their mouths
- Defend you if you’re attacked (but only if they trust you)
- Can be bred to create loyal offspring
- Look absolutely adorable while sleeping curled up
They’re also great for adding life to your base or animal sanctuary.
Where to Find Foxes in Minecraft
Foxes only spawn in two specific biomes:
- Taiga Biome – Regular forest with tall spruce trees.
- Snowy Taiga Biome – Similar to taiga but covered in snow.
In both of these biomes, foxes spawn in groups of 2–4, usually at night. If you see orange foxes, you’re in a regular taiga. If they’re white, you’re in a snowy taiga.
Tip: Go exploring at night with some torches and sweet berries (more on that later) to spot foxes more easily.
What You Need to Tame a Fox
You can’t “tame” a fox in the traditional Minecraft way like you do with wolves or cats, but you can earn a fox’s trust so that its baby grows up loyal to you.
Here’s what you’ll need:
✅ 2 Sweet Berries
Sweet berries are the fox’s favorite food. You can find sweet berry bushes in taiga biomes. Be careful—these bushes can hurt you when you walk through them!
✅ 2 Wild Foxes
You need to breed two wild foxes to create a baby fox that will trust you.
✅ A Lead (Optional but Helpful)
Leads help you move your baby fox safely back to your base. You can craft a lead using:
- 4 Strings
- 1 Slimeball
Or you can sometimes find them in woodland mansion chests or by killing wandering traders.
Step-by-Step: How to Tame a Fox in Minecraft
Step 1: Gather Sweet Berries
Search the taiga biome for sweet berry bushes. Right-click or left-trigger to collect them. Make sure you have at least two berries—more is better in case you mess up.
Step 2: Find Two Foxes
Foxes are skittish and will run away if you approach too quickly. Crouch (by holding down the shift key) to move slowly and avoid scaring them.
Tip: Try to find two foxes close together to make the process easier.
Step 3: Feed Them Sweet Berries
Crouch-walk toward both foxes and right-click (or use your controller button) on each fox with a sweet berry. Hearts will appear over their heads, which means they’re in “love mode.”
Soon, a baby fox will be born!
Step 4: Make the Baby Trust You
Here’s the trick: The baby fox will still follow its parents around—and they don’t trust you yet. That means it’ll try to run away if you get too close. You need to separate it from its parents so it doesn’t run.
Use a lead to attach the baby fox and lead it away, or gently build a pen around it using blocks.
Step 5: Wait for It to Grow Up
Once the baby fox is away from its wild parents, it will start to trust you. After about 20 minutes (1 in-game day), it will become an adult. This fox will now act like a loyal pet—it won’t run from you anymore, and it might even protect you if you get attacked.
Bonus: Breeding More Tame Foxes
Now that you have a loyal adult fox, you can repeat the process with other foxes to grow your own fox army. If you breed two tamed foxes, their baby will automatically trust you—no need for leads or sneaky tactics.
How to Use Tamed Foxes
Foxes in Minecraft don’t act exactly like dogs or cats, but they still have some useful and fun features.
🦊 They Hold Items in Their Mouth
If you drop an item near a fox, it may pick it up in its mouth. This works with all kinds of items, like:
- Swords (yes, a fox can carry a weapon!)
- Totems of Undying (they’ll use it if they die)
- Food (they’ll eat it later)
You can give a fox an item directly by dropping it or replacing whatever it’s already holding.
🛡️ They Attack Mobs for You
If a fox trusts you and sees you being attacked by a mob (like a zombie or skeleton), it may jump in and help you. It’s not super strong, but it’s great for surprise attacks.
💤 They Sleep During the Day
Tamed foxes often curl up and nap during the day. It’s one of the cutest animations in Minecraft and adds life to your builds.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are a few things players often get wrong when trying to tame a fox:
❌ Trying to Tame Wild Foxes Directly
You can’t just feed a wild fox and expect it to be your pet. Only baby foxes born from two adult foxes will trust you.
❌ Forgetting to Separate the Baby
If you don’t move the baby away from its parents, it’ll keep acting wild and running away.
❌ Not Using a Lead
It’s hard to keep up with a baby fox running around the woods. Use a lead or build a small pen.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can foxes teleport like wolves?
Nope. Foxes do not teleport. If you leave your tamed fox behind, it will stay in that spot unless you bring it back with a lead.
Can I dye a fox or give it armor?
Not at the moment. Foxes can’t wear armor or be dyed. But you can put items in their mouths, which looks funny and cool.
Can foxes swim?
Foxes can swim, but not very well. Be careful around deep water—they might drown if left unattended.
Do foxes attack chickens?
Yes, wild and tamed foxes both attack chickens, rabbits, and fish. Be careful if you keep chickens nearby!
Final Thoughts
Taming a fox in Minecraft takes a little more effort than other animals, but the reward is totally worth it. These loyal, sneaky companions add personality to your world and can even help in small battles. Just remember the key steps: find wild foxes, breed them with sweet berries, separate the baby, and wait for it to grow.
Once you’ve got your own tame fox following you around, you’ll wonder how you ever played Minecraft without one.
So, grab your berries, head into the taiga, and start your journey to becoming a Minecraft fox whisperer. Happy taming!
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