How to Tame Creatures in Smalland: Survive the Wilds
Smalland: Survive the Wilds has been shrunk down onto the Switch 2, and despite your tiny size, the world around you still feels absolutely massive. From towering forests to dangerous insects lurking beneath the grass, simply getting from one location to another can be a challenge. That is where taming creatures comes in… Having a mount not only makes travelling much faster, but it also gives you a safer way to explore the wilderness and survive dangerous encounters. While there are plenty of older guides floating around from the early access days, many of them are now outdated thanks to changes made in the full release. This guide will walk you through how to unlock taming, how the system works, and help you tame your very first grasshopper. Let’s leap right in.
The first thing you need to know is that taming is now tied to story progression. Thankfully, it can be unlocked fairly early into the game. After completing the opening section, you will be directed towards Skadi, who should already be marked on your map. If not, simply head east toward the beach biome. Before tackling the next steps, I highly recommend crafting the Stone Armour set. It is one of the best early-game armour sets and can be obtained through Kalev, who conveniently sits along the path toward the beach. There is plenty of stone nearby to mine for materials, while Bull Ants roaming around the mines can provide the mandibles needed to craft stronger pickaxes.
Once you are properly geared up, continue toward the beach and speak with Skadi. She explains that a Rhino Beetle has been causing havoc in the area and asks you to deal with it. In return, she will teach you how to craft taming traps and creature treats, officially unlocking the taming system. The Rhino Beetle can be found near the overturned boat on the beach. While it hits hard, the fight itself is mechanically straightforward once you learn its patterns. Before heading in, I recommend crafting plenty of Bandages and First Aid Patches, eating food to maximise your health and stamina, and making sure your equipment is repaired. Parrying is especially effective during this fight, as a successful parry can temporarily stun the Rhino Beetle and create a safe opening to counterattack or heal up. Staying patient is the key here, as getting greedy with attacks can quickly lead to being flattened. Once defeated, the Rhino Beetle drops its horn. Bring this back to Skadi and she will reward you with the recipes for Creature Treats and Taming Traps, finally allowing you to start taming creatures throughout Smalland: Survive the Wilds.
Now that you can craft Creature Treats and Taming Traps, I recommend bringing multiple traps with you before attempting any tame. Taming is not always guaranteed, and having extra supplies can save you from making another long trip back to base. The taming process itself is fairly simple. First, you need to weaken the creature by lowering its health as much as possible without defeating it. The lower its remaining health, the higher your chances of successfully taming it. Once weakened, place down a taming trap and lure the creature toward it.
The first creature I recommend taming is the Grasshopper. They are relatively easy to manage and make travelling around the world dramatically faster. I also suggest attempting this during the daytime, as visibility is much better and it makes tracking the Grasshopper far easier. Start by engaging the Grasshopper in combat and carefully chip away at its health until it is close to defeat. Once weakened, quickly place down your taming trap and bait the Grasshopper toward it. If the tame is successful, you will see a burst of love hearts appear above the creature, confirming that it is now your mount. If the taming attempt fails, do not panic. You can simply place another trap and try again. There is also a cheeky workaround where players can quickly quit to the home screen before the failed attempt fully registers and reload their save, though if you plan to do this, make sure you save beforehand.
There you have it. You should now have your very first Grasshopper mount and a much faster way to explore the world of Smalland: Survive the Wilds. There are plenty of other creatures to tame throughout the game, each offering different abilities and advantages, and now that you have a reliable mount, tracking them down should be much easier.
Have fun exploring the wilds.
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