Having a fox for a companion in Minecraft has a couple of big advantages –
One, a fox will pick up any dropped item in its mouth and that item will aid the fox in an attack. If it’s holding an enchanted item or weapon, it will be as if the fox is wielding that weapon.
Two, a fox will attack any mob that attacks a trusted player, protecting the player and helping the player decimate the mob and retrieve any items the mob might be carrying.
Basically, a fox serves as protector and back-up during attacks, which is why befriending a fox can prove a wise move in your Minecraft strategy.
Can you (actually) tame foxes in Minecraft?
First things first, let’s talk about the word “tame.”
You can’t actually tame foxes in Minecraft. What you can do is get a fox to trust you.
This might seem like a small distinction, but it’s an important one, because it means foxes won’t do what you want them do all the time. Even if they trust you, they act on their own terms and might even run off.
How do you get foxes to trust you in Minecraft?
So, the question isn’t how do you tame a fox in Minecraft. It’s how do you get a fox to trust you?
Well, first you have to find one, which takes a little bit of work in itself.
Minecraft foxes are found only in Taiga biomes, at night or close to nightfall, and they like to hang out around villages. So, if you want to find some foxes (yes, plural, you’ll need more than one) as quickly as possible, loiter near a Taiga village at night.
The good news is, foxes tend to roam in small groups of two to four, so once you find a fox, it will already have a mate, which makes the next step a lot easier.
Before you go fox-hunting, though, make sure you have a lead (you’ll have to craft this from string and a slimeball) and some sweet berries on hand.
How to Tame a Fox in Minecraft (Get a Fox to Trust You)
Once you find some foxes, you need to make a newborn fox. Only baby foxes will trust you.
That’s right! You’re about to become a fox breeder!
After you get two foxes to breed, their offspring will trust you automatically.
How do you get foxes to breed?
Getting foxes to breed in Minecraft is just like getting people to breed in real life – give them something sweet and wait for the magic to happen. Instead of champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries, sweet berries are Minecraft foxes’ choice aphrodisiac.
To get Minecraft boxes to breed:
- Approach a group of foxes. Make sure to approach Minecraft foxes slowly and be as quiet as possible to prevent frightening them off.
- Give a sweet berry to one fox.
- Give a sweet berry to another fox.
- Watch as their hearts explode and they spawn a baby fox.
- Attach your lead to the baby fox and direct it away from the other foxes. You’ll have to book it. They move fast. If you don’t attach the lead, the baby fox will follow the adult foxes and you’ll have to breed a new baby fox.
- Keep your baby fox on the lead until it grows into an adult. This takes 20 minutes (or one game day) of game time.
Once the fox is grown, it will trust you and won’t run from you when approached.
Do tamed Minecraft foxes follow you?
No.
A trusting fox will protect you and wait for you if it runs off, but it will not follow you. That’s because it’s not, technically, tamed.
If you want to take a fox with you as you roam, you’ll need a lead. Once off the lead, a fox may rush off if it spots a sweet berry bush or a mob of small animals.
Can you tame a baby fox?
No. But you can get a baby fox to trust you. In fact, you can only get a baby fox to trust you.
What can you do with Minecraft foxes?
The main reason to befriend a Minecraft fox is for defense.
Not only will a trusting fox attack any hostile mob that attacks you, it can hold a sword or other weapon to help aid in that attack.
You can also turn a fox into your personal cook by giving it a weapon enchanted with Knockback and Fire Aspect, so when the fox kills something like a chicken, it will cook the chicken and the chicken will be instantly available to eat.
Do tamed foxes attack chickens?
Yes. They can even roast them for you. (See above.)
They will also attack rabbits, fish and turtles.
Why can’t I tame a fox in Minecraft?
No one can tame a fox in Minecraft. They will always be free spirits, and may run off if not fenced or leashed.
If you mean why can’t you get a fox to trust you, it’s probably because you are missing one of the steps in the process. The most essential things are that the fox is a baby you helped breed and that you lead it away from the other foxes before it can follow them.
If you follow the above steps, you should be able to get a baby fox to trust you.
Can foxes find diamonds in Minecraft?
No. But foxes will steal your diamonds, so be careful not to drop them around them.
Foxes are more than just cute pets in Minecraft. They are excellent defenders of both you and your property.
It can take a bit of work to track down and breed your first couple of foxes, but once you have two foxes that trust you, you can breed those foxes, creating an entire family to fend off mobs and keep your homestead safe.