While not always the primary focus, animal breeding in Minecraft offers an enjoyable way to expand farms and gain useful companions. Different animals provide unique advantages, and understanding how to breed them can enhance gameplay. This guide details the process for breeding horses, donkeys, and mules in Minecraft.
The methods described are generally applicable across various Minecraft versions, including Java, console, and mobile editions.
Essential Items and Animals for Breeding
Before initiating any breeding efforts, certain items and animals must be acquired. Here is a list of what players will need to gather from the game world:
- Horses: At least two horses are required for breeding. These animals naturally spawn in plains and savannah biomes, typically appearing in groups of 2 to 6.
- Donkeys: To breed donkeys, two individuals are necessary. Donkeys are also found in plains and savannah biomes, often in smaller groups of 2 or 3.
- Golden Apples: These items are crucial for initiating “love mode” in animals, which is a prerequisite for breeding. Golden Apples can be discovered in loot chests or crafted using 8 gold ingots and 1 regular apple.
- Golden Carrots: Similar to Golden Apples, Golden Carrots also trigger “love mode.” They can be found in loot chests or crafted with 8 gold nuggets and 1 regular carrot.
In addition to these core items, it is advisable to construct stables or fenced enclosures to prevent animals from wandering away during and after the breeding process.
How to Breed Horses
The process for breeding horses is straightforward, requiring two horses and two Golden Apples or Golden Carrots. Ensure both horses are contained within a stable or a fenced area to facilitate breeding.
- Contain the Horses: Place two horses together within an enclosed space, such as a stable or a fenced area.
- Induce Love Mode: Feed one Golden Apple or Golden Carrot to each horse. This action will put both horses into “love mode.”
- Observe Breeding: The horses will then mate, resulting in the birth of a baby horse, also known as a foal.
- Growth and Maturation: The horse foal will mature into a full-sized horse over approximately 30 minutes. This growth period can be accelerated by feeding the foal.
- Appearance Variation: While many players breed for specific colors and patterns, most foals inherit a mix of their parents’ traits. However, there is roughly a 28% chance for a foal to have a random color, marking pattern, or both.
Once the horse foal grows into an adult, it must be tamed, just like any wild horse, before it can be saddled or ridden.
How to Breed Donkeys
Breeding donkeys in Minecraft follows a process nearly identical to that of horses. Players will need two donkeys and two Golden Apples or Golden Carrots to begin. Donkeys can sometimes be more challenging to locate due to their tendency to travel in smaller groups compared to horses.
- Enclose Donkeys: Gather two donkeys and place them within a fenced enclosure or stable.
- Activate Love Mode: Provide each donkey with a Golden Apple or Golden Carrot to initiate “love mode.”
- Witness Breeding: The donkeys will then breed, producing a baby donkey, or foal.
- Maturation Period: A donkey foal will grow into an adult donkey in approximately 30 minutes. This growth can be expedited by feeding the foal.
- Consistent Appearance: Unlike horses, donkeys possess a single texture, meaning all bred donkeys will have the same appearance.
Similar to horse foals, a baby donkey must be tamed once it reaches adulthood before it can be utilized.
How to Breed Mules
Mules are unique in Minecraft as they do not spawn naturally and are also unable to breed themselves. To create a mule, players need one horse, one donkey, and two Golden Apples or Golden Carrots. Breeding a mule also grants the “Artificial Selection” achievement.
- Combine Animals: Place one horse and one donkey together within a fenced enclosure or stable.
- Induce Love Mode: Feed a Golden Apple or Golden Carrot to both the horse and the donkey to put them into “love mode.”
- Mule Birth: After a short period, the animals will breed, resulting in the birth of a baby mule, or mule foal.
- Growth to Adulthood: The mule foal will mature into a full-sized mule in approximately 30 minutes. Feeding the foal can accelerate this growth.
- Uniform Appearance: Mules, like donkeys, have a single texture, meaning all bred mules will look identical.
Once a mule grows to full size, it must be tamed before it can be ridden or used for transport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can skeleton horses be bred in Minecraft?
No, skeleton horses cannot be bred. In Creative Mode, baby skeleton horses can be spawned. In Survival Mode, they can appear when lightning strikes, or as part of a skeleton trap where a skeleton rides one. Defeating the skeleton rider makes the horse passive and tamable.
Which is better: horses, donkeys, or mules?
Horses are generally the fastest and have the highest jump, and they can wear armor. Donkeys, while not as fast, have the unique ability to carry chests. Mules offer a balance, being faster and stronger than donkeys but not quite matching a horse’s speed.
Why are my animals not breeding?
Ensure that each animal has been fed a Golden Apple or Golden Carrot to activate “love mode.” It is also important that the animals are in close proximity within a fenced area or stable. After these conditions are met, it becomes a matter of waiting.
Are there benefits to breeding animals?
Yes, bred horses and donkeys often exhibit improved stats, including faster speed, higher jumps, and increased health and defense, compared to their wild counterparts. Many players also breed for specific aesthetic preferences like color and pattern. For mules, breeding is the only way to obtain them.
