Minecraft is packed with cute and fluffy animals, including the iconic cuddly panda bear! Pandas have their own preferred foods, unique characteristics, varying moods, and loveable quirks. But, breeding a pair of wild Minecraft pandas is not as straightforward as most other creatures in the game.
Players cannot tame pandas in Minecraft vanilla, but they can befriend and breed these animals by feeding them bamboo. However, baby pandas will not be tameable either, so players will need to contain them in a custom, escape-proof panda pen and give them name tags when possible to ensure they don’t despawn.
Pandas, young or old, are some of the most well-loved animals in countless video games, and their inclusion in Minecraft is no exception. It’s completely understandable that anyone would want these bouncing baby furballs rolling around as pets. Stick around to find out how to breed pandas, make them act as pets, and what they will need to stay happy.
Breeding Pandas In Minecraft
This magnificent stripy bear is one of the latest additions to Minecraft’s mobs, and players have gone absolutely bonkers for these fuzzy beasts – to be fair, there’s nothing not to love about them! Minecraft pandas have uniquely playful and ditzy personalities, and they can come in two types in Minecraft – Normal Pandas (black and white) and Brown Pandas (brown and white).
Pandas are classified as neutral mobs in Minecraft, meaning that they are not aggressive towards players but are not necessarily friendly either. As a result, they could attack players in some cases, such as when they are disturbed without any cause – their moods are indicated by their various facial expressions.
Although breeding pandas is only slightly more complex than breeding other animals in Minecraft, there are a few factors that players will need to consider before going ahead with the process, as seen below:
- Pandas cannot be tamed or put on a lead
- Baby pandas cannot be tamed or put on a lead
- Baby pandas will follow their parents
- Baby pandas may not always be friendly toward players
- Pandas and bred baby pandas can despawn
These factors could make the entire effort completely pointless, and it’s best to prepare for these factors ahead of time. We’ve outlined everything you need to know about breeding pandas and provided some tips on how to get them to act as pets in Minecraft, with images thanks to IGN and Gamerant.
‘Taming’ Baby Pandas In Minecraft
If you are hoping to breed a baby panda or two to create a panda-pet type situation, the approach will need to be somewhat different. Unlike other Minecraft animals, like foxes, breeding a pair of wild pandas and taming the baby will not be possible either.
Technically, these wild creatures cannot be tamed like other Minecraft animals, including the babies. Baby pandas will naturally follow their parents around, with the same disposition towards players as adult pandas. They cannot be put on a lead like other wild animal babies, such as foxes, and they cannot be turned into a pet using food either.
As seen in the image above, even baby pandas can become angsty or aggressive towards players – although their threat is relatively low compared to adults. Still, they will be born naturally passive towards players, instead of neutral.
Not being able to tame them formally doesn’t mean you can’t have a panda companion at all in Minecraft, as players are able to befriend them and keep them happy. The ‘baby panda pet’ process will likely take time and effort though, so players will need to be prepared for a worthwhile yet challenging adventure.
Check out the guide below to discover exactly how to get pandas to live with you in Minecraft for easy ‘taming’ and baby panda breeding.
While it may seem like a hectic mission to create a panda farm, lure them to the pen, and breed the pandas afterward, this is the only method that’s really worthwhile. The main reason why this is important is since you could go through the trouble of tracking down, befriending, and breeding pandas, only to have them wander away or despawn, never to be seen again.
How To Breed Pandas In Minecraft
It’s best to sort out a living arrangement for the pandas that you breed before going ahead. If you’re not too fussy about having them live with you at your survival base in Minecraft, you could also create a panda playpen closer to their natural habitat – it will be much faster than having them as household pets, and you’ll still be able to breed them as you wish.
Panda Breeding Requirements
To breed pandas, you will need to get a few things out of the way first – you’ll need to track down the panda biome, find a panda pack, and get them to become friendly or passive towards you using food. Only then will you be able to breed them. Players will need the following items for their mission:
- A full stack of bamboo (can be collected in their natural habitat)
- A stack of bamboo tree saplings (can be collected in their natural habitat)
- A stack of fences (for panda enclosure)
- Gates or Doors
- A few blocks (stone or wood)
- At least 3 name tags (for the panda parents and panda baby)
- Survival items for your character (food, gear, weapons, etc.)
- Lighting (to prevent mobs from spawning in the area at night)
Where To Find Pandas In Minecraft
Now that you’ve got everything you need for the journey, you’ll need to head out in search of their natural habitat in your Minecraft world. Pandas typically roam the Minecraft world in packs of about 2 or 3, lazing or rolling around and dining on occasional treats – just like their real counterparts!
These animals typically dwell in trees, happily hopping between them and keeping themselves occupied amongst each other. They can commonly be found in Bamboo Jungle areas, but they could also be located in Jungle Biomes as well. Finding them could take an indefinite timeframe, depending on where you have spawned in your Minecraft world.
Building a Panda Playpen/ Breeding Pen
The process will be much smoother if you get the enclosure’s structure ready at the very beginning. The location can vary depending on your preferences, but there should be a mostly level pathway from the enclosure to their natural habitat location in order to lure them to the area before breeding.
Consider the following inclusions as you create your panda playpen:
- The ground should be made using grass and sand.
- The amount of space should allow room for breeding.
- There should be eight bamboo blocks within a five-block radius of one another.
- Create a shallow pond, as pandas enjoy bathing and playing in the water.
- Add extras like water, flowers, and lighting (to prevent mobs from spawning).
- Secure the area with high fencing to make sure they don’t escape. Place two gates at the player’s level and place fences above the gates, or add blocks to act as a doorframe, fitted with a door. The entire area should be escape-proof.
- Finish off the top with fencing if necessary, to act as a roof-type barrier.
- Decorate as desired.
Befriending Panda Parents
There is no hope of breeding pandas without getting them to like you first! Players will need to gain the trust of at least 2 adult pandas, after which they can proceed with entering Love Mode and breeding to create a fuzzy baby panda.
Pandas will need to be befriended using their favorite food, similar to other animals in Minecraft throughout the taming process. Players need to be wary of their standards though, as feeding them anything other than their favorite foods can make them angry, which will pose risks for the player.
These animals should ideally be fed bamboo, which can be collected from the surrounding biome and stacked up in your inventory. Remember to grab the bamboo tree saplings that drop while harvesting, as you’ll need them for their enclosure.
Players will need to keep feeding the pandas bamboo until hearts appear above their heads. Oddly enough, pandas can also be fed cakes to make them happy, although cakes aren’t easy to acquire in the game.
Lead the pandas into their enclosure by keeping bamboo in your character’s hand once they become friendly toward you, and ensure that sure they cannot escape. You may need to leave an open area for them to get in, as they may pack on each other and get stuck.
Lure them to the back of the pen, and close it off again – the process is far easier with a friend. Make sure to plant the bamboo trees in their enclosure, as this will be necessary before they can breed.
How Long Does It Take To Befriend a Panda In Minecraft?
It should not take too long to make a panda passive toward you, as they will become friendly towards the player after the player gives them bamboo for a short while. The process generally takes only a few minutes, but it can take longer than expected in some cases – like for fussy or greedy pandas.
Breeding Process (Baby Panda Cubs)
What’s more adorable than pandas? Panda cubs of course! If you have created adequate living arrangements for the pandas and already lured them to their enclosure, getting them to breed will be somewhat easier. It helps control the process within a limited area, and also prevents friendly pandas from escaping.
1. Before you begin the breeding process, plant the bamboo trees you’ve collected in their enclosure (eight bamboo blocks within a five-block radius of one another). They will not breed unless this specific requirement is met.
2. Make sure you give name tags to the friendly adult pandas. This step is crucial, as it will prevent them from despawning over time – they are still not technically tamed.
The main hurdle with taming pandas is their lazy and laidback nature – they will not take initiative in this area, and they’ll need to be encouraged. Getting them to breed will be much easier if you’re playing with a friend as well.
Simply feed two adult pandas and push them together until hearts appear. This can be done by nudging them closer by physically bumping them toward each other with your Minecraft character.
Once the hearts appear above them, they will be able to mate and have a panda baby – if the living conditions are correct. It’s important to make sure the bamboo is removed from your hand during this stage, or they will be drawn to you instead of their mate.
If it works correctly, you’ll have a bouncing and passive baby panda! Make sure to place name tags on all of the new baby panda friends whenever possible, just to make sure that they do not despawn as they are still classified as wild mobs.
Summarized Step-By-Step Guide
- Prepare your panda home (structure, water, lighting, fencing, etc.)
- Locate the pandas (bamboo biome or jungle biome)
- Create a mostly-level pathway from the bamboo biome to the enclosure if needed.
- Prepare inventory (fences, bamboo, bamboo saplings, name tags)
- Feed 2 adult pandas with bamboo (drop it on the floor first if they won’t eat from your hand) until they become friendly, indicated by hearts.
- Lure them to the enclosure by keeping the bamboo in your hand, and close it off to ensure it is escape-proof.
- Plant the bamboo trees (eight bamboo blocks within a five-block radius of one another) so the pandas can breed.
- Give each panda a name tag so that they do not despawn.
- Feed 2 adult pandas with bamboo while nudging them closer together.
- Remove the bamboo from your character’s hand when the pandas enter Love Mode.
- Place name tags on any new pandas to make sure they do not despawn.
Alternatively, players can also use the Tameable Pandas Addon, which will enable pandas to be tamed and bred like other Minecraft animals and add a few more features for their usage, such as:
- Tameable with Bamboo
- Rideable (place cake in the saddle slot to control it)
- Use bamboo to give them more speed
- Follows their owner
- Protects their owner against aggressive mobs
- Can be commanded to sit or stand
- Breedable
Making a baby panda buddy or even a panda farm in Minecraft can be tricky and frustrating as the process is fairly different. But, it is possible, and with some time, effort, and commitment, you’ll be sharing your Minecraft vanilla world with a bunch of fuzzy, friendly, and happy panda families in no time!
