Foxes are some of the cutest mobs in Minecraft, but they are also shy, sneaky and quick to run away. You cannot tame a fox the way you tame a wolf or a cat. Instead, you breed two wild foxes, and the baby fox that is born trusts you for life. This guide explains how to tame a fox in Minecraft, what foxes eat, how to find them, how to get them home, and what a trusted fox will do for you.
Quick answer
- Find two adult foxes in a taiga, snowy taiga or grove biome.
- Feed both foxes sweet berries or glow berries to make them breed.
- The baby fox that spawns trusts you. That is your tamed fox.
- Use a lead to bring it home.
Can you tame a fox in Minecraft?
Yes, but not directly. Wild adult foxes never trust you, no matter how much you feed them. The only way to tame a fox is to breed two wild ones while you are nearby. The baby fox from that breeding trusts the player who bred it. A trusted fox does not run from you, follows you when on a lead, and defends you from attackers. Adult wild foxes will always flee when you walk toward them unless you sneak slowly.
Where to find foxes
Foxes spawn in taiga, old growth taiga, snowy taiga and grove biomes. Red foxes appear in normal taiga, and arctic foxes, which are white, appear in snowy biomes. They usually spawn in small groups of two to four, often near sweet berry bushes. Foxes are nocturnal: during the day they sleep, curled up under trees with their eyes closed, and at night they wake up and hunt chickens, rabbits and fish. Sleeping foxes are the easiest to approach, because they only wake if you move quickly or are not sneaking.
What do foxes eat in Minecraft?
Foxes eat sweet berries and glow berries, and these are the foods used to breed them. In the wild, foxes also hunt chickens, rabbits, cod, salmon and tropical fish, and they pick up and eat food items lying on the ground. They love sweet berries so much that they raid berry bushes in villages and taiga forests. Sweet berries grow on bushes in taiga biomes, and glow berries hang from cave vines in lush caves. See how to grow glow berries.
How to tame a fox step by step
- Collect berries. Gather at least two sweet berries or glow berries. A few extra help if foxes run.
- Approach while sneaking. Hold the sneak button so you move slowly; foxes flee from players who walk or run at them. Approaching sleeping foxes during the day is easiest.
- Feed two adult foxes. Use the berries on each fox. Hearts appear above them as they enter love mode.
- Wait for the baby. A baby fox appears between them. It trusts you immediately.
- Attach a lead. Put a lead on the baby fox before it wanders off. Leads are made from string and a slimeball; see how to make a lead.
- Lead it home. Walk slowly so the fox keeps up, then build it a fenced area or keep it inside your base.
If you want two trusted foxes, breed them again after the five-minute breeding cooldown, or breed two trusted foxes together later, since babies of trusted parents also trust you.
What a trusted fox does
- Defends you: a trusted fox attacks mobs that attack you.
- Stays calm: it does not run away from you, though it can still wander if not on a lead.
- Brings you items: foxes pick up items in their mouths and sometimes hold them; if you give a fox an item, it keeps it, and you can trade by dropping food to make it drop what it is carrying.
- Sleeps with you: trusted foxes sometimes sleep near your bed.
Keeping your fox from running away
Foxes do not teleport to you like tamed wolves and cats, so they can get lost. Keep your fox in a fenced pen or room, ideally with a roof, because foxes can jump fences that are only one block high. Use fences, walls or full blocks two blocks high. Give it a name tag so it never despawns, although foxes bred by players do not despawn anyway. Do not leave it near your chicken farm, because foxes hunt chickens.
Fox behavior to know
- Foxes carry items in their mouths, including weapons, which makes them deal more damage.
- Foxes sometimes spawn holding emeralds, rabbit feet, rabbit hide, eggs, wheat, leather or feathers. Kill the fox or make it drop the item by giving it food.
- Foxes pounce on prey, leaping high into the air before landing on small animals.
- Foxes avoid wolves and polar bears and flee from players who are not sneaking.
Arctic foxes and red foxes
Both fox types behave the same, but their coats differ. Red foxes come from normal taiga, while white arctic foxes come from snowy taiga and groves. When a red fox and an arctic fox breed, the baby can be either color. If you want a matching pair, breed foxes of the same type. Arctic foxes stand out beautifully in snowy builds, and red foxes fit autumn and forest themes.
Common fox problems
- The foxes keep running: sneak, approach from behind, or wait until they sleep during the day.
- The baby fox does not trust me: you must be the player who fed the parents. In multiplayer, the baby trusts the player who bred it.
- My fox escaped: foxes jump one-block fences. Build two blocks high.
- My fox ate my items: foxes pick up food from the ground. Keep floors clear of loose items.
Java vs Bedrock
Fox breeding and trust work the same on both editions. On Bedrock, foxes are slightly easier to approach in some versions, and they occasionally behave differently around items. The taming method of breeding two wild foxes is identical everywhere.
Fox FAQ
How do you tame a fox in Minecraft?
Breed two wild foxes with sweet berries or glow berries. The baby fox will trust you.
Can you tame foxes in Minecraft directly?
No. Adult foxes never trust players; only babies bred by you do.
What do foxes eat in Minecraft?
Sweet berries and glow berries for breeding; in the wild they also hunt chickens, rabbits and fish.
Where do foxes spawn?
In taiga, old growth taiga, snowy taiga and grove biomes.
Will a tamed fox follow me?
Only on a lead. Trusted foxes do not follow automatically like wolves.
Do foxes despawn?
Bred foxes do not despawn. Wild foxes can despawn if they are far away.
Want another loyal companion? See how to tame a cat and axolotls.
Building a fox den
A cozy den makes your fox feel at home and keeps it safe. Dig a small room into a hillside or under spruce trees, line it with moss, podzol and coarse dirt, add a sweet berry bush nearby for decoration, and light it with lanterns so hostile mobs cannot spawn. Make the walls two blocks high, add a gate you can open, and your fox will happily sleep there during the day.
With patience and a pocket full of berries, you can raise a loyal fox of your own.