Surviving 99 nights in a forest full of danger is hard enough — but now with the taming update, you can enlist animals to help you. This guide walks you through each step of how to tame pets in 99 Nights in the Forest, what tools and food you’ll need, and how to make the most of your new companions. I’ve broken it down into clear parts so you won’t feel lost in the dark.
Taming in 99 Nights in the Forest is a fresh feature added in an update. Before, animals were mostly wild or hostile; now, you can transform them into pets who follow you and fight alongside you.
The process usually begins when you have a Taming Flute. You use it on an animal, triggering a minigame. If you succeed, that animal becomes neutral and then wants food. After you feed it the correct items through enough stages, it turns into a full pet with hearts indicating your bond.
Once tamed, the pet can be set to follow, sit, or be released. You can also rename them.
Step 1: Get a Taming Flute
To start taming, you must first find a Taming Flute. This is a new item introduced in the taming update.
Here’s how to find and upgrade it:
- The flute is in the Domestication Cabin, near your starting camp.
- Once you acquire an Old Taming Flute (level 1), you can later upgrade it at an Upgrade Building near camp.
- The flute has levels — Old, Good, and Super — and higher levels allow you to tame tougher animals.
- You raise its XP by taming animals; when the progress bar fills, you can upgrade.
Until your flute is strong enough, you’ll be limited to simpler creatures like bunnies or kiwis.
Step 2: Play the Taming Minigame
When you’re near an animal and ready to tame, the minigame begins. Here’s how it works:
- A green circle appears near the animal, indicating you can attempt taming.
- You’ll see a red bar that moves up and down. You must keep it aligned inside a lighter green zone. Holding your input (tap or mouse) moves the bar up; letting go makes it move downward.
- As the red bar stays inside the green zone, a taming progress bar fills. When it reaches 100%, the minigame succeeds.
- If the red bar slips too much and you fail to recover, the attempt ends.
- You might need to repeat this minigame multiple times depending on the animal’s taming stage.
It’s similar in feel to a fishing minigame, demanding patience and balance.
Step 3: Feed the Animal
After passing the minigame stage, the animal will ask for food. Each species has its own feeding requirements based on how difficult it is.
For example:
- Rabbit needs 1 carrot.
- Wolf might ask for 2 steaks.
- Bear might require ribs, stew, and pumpkin.
- Mammoth might demand pumpkins and cake.
You must supply exactly what the animal asks. After feeding, you’ll often need to return to another minigame stage or repeat tasks until all “faces” or stages are complete, turning them into hearts. When all stages are done, the animal becomes your pet.
Which Animals Can You Tame?
Not all creatures are tamable, and some are much harder. Several types can be tamed: bunnies, kiwis, wolves, alpha wolves, bears, scorpions, arctic foxes, mammoths, and “hellephants.”
Here’s a sample categorization:
- Easy pets: Bunny, Kiwi
- Mid-tier pets: Wolf, Scorpion, Arctic Fox
- High-tier pets: Bear, Alpha Wolf, Mammoth
Some animals require a very high-level flute before they can be tamed.
Step 4: Using Your Pets
Once tamed, pets give you more than just companionship:
- Follow: The pet trails behind you and helps fight enemies that harm you.
- Sit: The pet becomes passive and stays put.
- Release: You can dismiss the pet, freeing up space to tame another.
- Rename: Give your pet a name to personalize it.
Pets can defend you during combat, helping reduce damage you suffer and slowing enemy pressure. They remain with you until you die or release them.
Tips for Successful Taming
Here are some strategic tips to improve your taming success:
- Start with simple animals like bunnies to practice the minigame.
- Make sure your flute level is sufficient for the animal you target; don’t try taming a bear when your flute is level 1.
- Stock up on required food items before engaging, so you don’t have to search mid-process.
- In the minigame, keep calm: small micro-adjustments are better than frantic movements.
- If your pet isn’t helpful in combat, let it sit so it doesn’t unintentionally trigger fights.
- Use the pet’s ability to follow you to build tactical advantage in battles — engage enemies knowing your companion backs you up.
- Be selective — some pets demand rare ingredients, so manage your resources.
Why Taming Is a Game Changer
Taming gives you several big advantages:
- More firepower: Pets supplement your attacks and help you survive tougher nights.
- Tactical advantage: With pets, you can lure enemies or draw fire while you deal damage from safer spots.
- Emotional bond: Watching your animal grow from wild to ally creates connection and satisfaction in gameplay.
- Progression incentive: As you upgrade your flute and tame elite animals, the game’s challenge and reward scale with you.
