Ark: Survival Evolved's taming process could get overwhelming due to many factors involved. All these factors need to executed well for the taming to be a success. Moreover, players have to keep in mind that different dinos require different elements. Read on to find out how to tame effectively and efficiently.
Knock Them Out
Taming most dinos in Ark: Survival Evolved requires you to knock them out first. You don't want to kill them because what would you keep a dead animal for? Here, we have compiled effective weapons that you can use to knock out your target without injuring or killing them.
Slingshot - it would take a much bigger force to kill a dinosaur than with a slingshot and a stone, so you're fine with this one. You can unlock it at level 5. Until then, you can just use your fist Ark: Survival Evolved. Yes, take that dino head on.
Tranquilizer - for bigger and flying dinosaurs, you need to have a bow and arrows with tranquilizer. Bigger ones would require more arrows, so make sure you're well stocked. You can unlock the bow at level 15 and tranq. arrows at level 20.
Keep Them Asleep
The taming process only occurs while they're asleep so you will have to feed them narcos to keep them from waking up. You can either feed them Narcoberries, which can be found anywhere in the world of Ark: Survival Evolved, or Narcotics, which you will have to make yourself.
A Narcoberry will increase the Torpor meter by 7.5. You will need to keep that meter full, which gradually decreases throughout the taming process, so that means that you will have to be on watch to keep feeding the animal some berries. Note that just putting it at the inventory will not make the animal eat it. You have to select it and choose the "Remote Use Item" option in Ark: Survival Evolved.
Narcotics, on the other hand, increases the meter by 40. This lessens the need to frequently use the button. It can be created by combining 5 Narcoberries and 1 Spoiled Meat using the Mortar and Pestle. A more effective item, though, is a tranquilizer arrow that increases the Torpor by 100. But it will cause damage, lessening the taming effectiveness.
Feed Them Their Favorite
Carnivores prefer meat and herbivores prefer vegetables. Simple as that, right? In Ark: Survival Evolved - Wrong. Taming effectiveness depends on the food's quality. Taming speeds up by as much as 300% when you feed a Carnivore Raw Prime Meat. Cooked or Jerky Prime Meat increases speed by 150%. In the absence of Prime Meat, Raw Meat will do.
Unfortunately for Herbivores, there is no food that will speed up the taming process in Ark: Survival Evolved. So for this kind of dinos, you can feed them berries (except Stimberries, which they'll not eat voluntarily) and vegetables. You can, however, feed them advanced crops to lessen the depletion of taming effectiveness.
If you have spoiled meat, then tame a Carrion. Araneo, Arthropluera and Pulmonoscorpisus (or Scorpio) prefer the spoiled variety, which increases taming speed by 200%. It will also result to a higher taming effectiveness rating.
What trumps every food for all three, though, is a kibble. Every animal has their preferred kibble, which consists of an egg, 1 Advanced Crop, 1 meat or jerky, 2 Mejoberries, 3 Fiber and a filled water container such as a Waterskin. The type of kibble ultimately depends on the type of egg, crop and meat/jerky. For recipes of each Ark: Survival Evolved dinosaur's favorite kibble, refer here.
Other Taming Methods
Not all dinos in Ark: Survival Evolved have to be knocked unconscious for the taming process to start. You only have to feed certain creatures to bind the tame. To do so, put the food to the far-right of your hotbar. Approach it and then hit the "Use" button. For the Ark: Survival Evolved animals you can take via this non-violent method, click here.
