99 NIGHTS IN THE FOREST

FEEDING KIT & TAMING GUIDE

Master the art of animal taming to gain loyal companions and survive the 99 nights. Complete food requirements, strategies, and class perks.

11 Tamable Animals Food & Fishing Guide Taming Flute Upgrades
Essential for Zookeeper & Beastmaster classes
11
Tamable Animals

Wolf to Mammoth

3
Flute Tiers

Old, Good, Strong

5
Pet Limit (Beastmaster)

Highest capacity class

10+
Food Types

Steak, Fish, Vegetables

Quick Navigation

Taming Basics: The Feeding Process

Taming animals in 99 Nights in The Forest is a core survival mechanic. Tamed creatures fight alongside you, provide utility, and can mean the difference between life and death in later nights. The process requires specific food and the correct Taming Flute.

The Taming Flute System

You need to upgrade your Taming Flute to access stronger animals. The three tiers are:

  • Old FluteTames basic animals: Bunny, Wolf, Scorpion
  • Good FluteUnlocks mid-tier: Alpha Wolf, Snow Fox
  • Strong FluteRequired for apex creatures: Bear, Mammoth

How Feeding Works

Taming is an interactive process, not a single action.

  1. Approach a tamable animal with the required Flute.
  2. Play the Taming Flute (multiple times for most animals).
  3. After each song, feed the animal one piece of each required food.
  4. Repeat until the total food requirement is met. A Wolf needs (3) Steak and (3) Morsel total, fed as one of each per flute song.
  5. If successful, the animal becomes your loyal companion.

Pro Taming Tip

Start collecting food for your target animal immediately at the start of a run, even before you have the required Flute upgrade. Resources like Salmon for the Alpha Wolf or Pumpkins for the Mammoth take time to gather. Early preparation is key to taming powerful companions before the nights get too dangerous.

Complete Animal Food Requirements

There are 11 tamable animals in the game, though biome-specific ones like the Green Frog or Scorpion may not appear in every match. Use this table to plan your taming strategy. Food amounts shown are the total needed across multiple flute performances.

Animal Food Required (Total) Required Flute Biome Notes Taming Difficulty
Bunny (1) Carrot Old Flute Common
Very Easy
Wolf (3) Steak (3) Morsel Old Flute Common
Easy
Alpha Wolf (4) Salmon (4) Steak (4) Mackerel Good Flute Common
Hard
Bear (5) Steak (5) Salmon (5) Pumpkin Strong Flute Forest
Very Hard
Mammoth (10) Pumpkin (5) Cake Strong Flute Snow
Extreme

* Based on data from PC Gamer. Some animals like the Kiwi are rare, and biome-specific ones (Lava, Forest/Pond, Snow) won't appear every match.

Biome Matters

Animals like the Scorpion (Lava), Green Frog (Forest/Pond), and Snow Fox (Snow) only spawn in specific maps. Plan your run based on the biome "The Deer" drops you into.

Fish are Key

Many high-tier animals require fish (Salmon, Mackerel). Upgrade your campfire and fishing rod early to catch them efficiently. Alpha Wolf needs both Salmon and Mackerel.

Farm Vegetables

Mammoths and Hellephants require massive amounts of Pumpkin (10) and Cake (5). Build gardening plots (up to 20) as soon as possible to start growing these precious resources.

How to Get All Food Types

Primary Food Sources

Hunting & Meat

Kill wildlife for Steak, Morsel, Ribs. Essential for Wolves, Bears, and more.

Fishing

Get an Old Fishing Rod from the shack. Catch Salmon & Mackerel for Alpha Wolf and others.

Farming

Build gardening plots. Grow Pumpkins, Chili, Carrots. Cake is rare but growable.

Cooking

Use a campfire or kitchen to cook Stew, Cake. Some recipes are for specific animals.

The Cake Dilemma

Cake is the most contentious resource for tamers. It's required to tame a Mammoth or Hellephant (5 pieces), but it's also the only growable food with healing properties. Cake plants grow infrequently (RNG-dependent), making collection slow. Resist the urge to eat your Cake for healing if you are saving for a Mammoth; rely on campfire resting instead.

Spotlight: Taming Alpha Wolf & Mammoth

These two creatures are among the most sought-after companions. Here's how to tackle their significant challenges.

Alpha Wolf Taming Strategy

Food: (4) Salmon, (4) Steak, (4) Mackerel | Flute: Good Flute

  • Start Fishing Immediately: Grab the Old Fishing Rod from the shack at game start. Salmon and Mackerel are both needed.
  • Expect Imbalance: You'll often catch many more Mackerel than Salmon with a low-level campfire.
  • Beastmaster Shortcut: The Beastmaster class starts with a free Alpha Wolf, skipping the grind.

The Alpha Wolf is a powerful, aggressive fighter, ideal for defense.

Mammoth Taming Strategy

Food: (10) Pumpkin, (5) Cake | Flute: Strong Flute

  • Farm Early, Farm Big: Build the maximum 20 gardening plots as soon as you can. Dedate them to Pumpkins.
  • Two Pumpkins Per Song: You'll feed the Mammoth 2 Pumpkins each time you play the flute.
  • Guard Your Cake: This is your biggest hurdle. Do not use Cake for healing. Its slow growth rate tests your patience.

The Mammoth is a massive tank and pack mule, invaluable for survival and resource runs.

Class Perks: Zookeeper vs. Beastmaster

Two classes are specialized for taming, each with unique advantages.

Feature Zookeeper Beastmaster Verdict
Pet Limit +1 extra pet (base limit +1) 5 pet limit (highest in game) Beastmaster
Food Cost Reduced food costs for taming Standard food costs Zookeeper
Special Perk Easier to maintain multiple pets Extra attack speed for pets + Free Alpha Wolf Beastmaster
Best For Players who want a diverse menagerie without extreme grinding. Players aiming for a powerful, combat-focused army of pets. No wrong choice, depends on playstyle.

Early-Game Taming Route

  1. Secure a basic weapon and the Old Fishing Rod.
  2. Tame a Wolf (Steak & Morsel) for early defense.
  3. Upgrade Flute to Good, collect fish constantly.
  4. Tame an Alpha Wolf as your main fighter.
  5. Transition to farming for late-game apex tames.

Late-Game Animal Army

As a Beastmaster with 5 pets, an ideal end-game composition could be:

  • 1x Mammoth (Tank & Resource Hauler)
  • 2x Alpha Wolf (Primary Damage Dealers)
  • 1x Bear (Heavy Crowd Control)
  • 1x Scorpion or Snow Fox (Biome-specific utility)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I tame every animal in one run?

It's very difficult and often impossible. Some animals are biome-specific (like the Scorpion in Lava maps), so you won't find them all in a single match. Additionally, the resource grind for multiple high-tier animals like the Mammoth is immense. Focus on 2-3 core companions per run.

Is the Kiwi really tameable?

Yes, but it's a rare sight in any biome. It only requires (1) Berry and the Old Flute, making it easy to tame if you're lucky enough to find one. It's more of a collector's trophy than a practical combat pet.

What's the difference between Mammoth and Hellephant?

They have the exact same food requirement: (10) Pumpkin and (5) Cake. The Hellephant is the Lava biome variant of the Mammoth. You tame one or the other depending on which map you're playing on.

Do tamed animals need to be fed afterward?

No. Once tamed, animals do not require further feeding to remain loyal companions. They will follow you and fight for you indefinitely until they die in combat.

What happens if my tamed animal dies?

It is permanently lost for that run. You can attempt to tame another one, but you will need to gather all the required food again from scratch.