Minecraft: How to Get Turtle Eggs (& What They’re For)

Turtles are the endearing passive mob commonly of the beach biome in Minecraft, and while they can make loveable pets, players can use their eggs for farming a useful material called scute. However, turtle eggs will break if players attempt to collect them using their bare hands or a basic tool. To safely gather turtle eggs, Minecraft players will need the unique enchantment, Silk Touch.

Turtle eggs in Minecraft can be found randomly throughout the world and can also be spawned through deliberate breeding. One important detail to note is that, unlike other creatures, turtles must return to their original spawn point to reproduce. As a result, if a player tries to have turtles breed in a location far away from their “home beach,” the reptilian companion holding the eggs will journey back to their spawn point, no matter the distance. Therefore, the best strategy would be to gather wild eggs and have the hatchlings spawn in a new designated spot.

To get turtle eggs in Minecraft, players must either randomly find them or breed two turtles. In Minecraft, turtles eat seagrass, a plant that only grows underwater, particularly in the ocean. Alternatively, players can use bone meal to generate seagrass instantly. Once the two turtles have been fed, the one holding the eggs will return to its home beach. Players should make sure to build a protective wall or fence around the turtle eggs. Hostile mobs such as zombies that spawn nearby will immediately head to the egg cluster and destroy it.

What to Do with Turtle Eggs in Minecraft

Next, players will need a pickaxe tool with the Minecraft enchantment Silk Touch. While Silk Touch can be acquired by trading with a Librarian villager, the fastest way to get the enchantment is by placing down an Enchantment Table surrounded by Bookshelves x 9. Then, craft a surplus of wooden shovels and enchant them with lapis lazuli, cycling through until Silk Touch appears. Switch the shovel with the pickaxe that will be used to pick up the turtle eggs.

Once the eggs have been collected, take them to a preferred location with sand and water. Remember to fortify the area from monsters. Turtle eggs will generally hatch within 4-5 nights. After the babies are born, they will make their way towards nearby water. After a hatchling becomes an adult, it will drop scute. Players can speed up a turtle’s growing process by feeding it seagrass. After collecting enough scute, Minecraft players can craft a Turtle Shell, a helmet inherently enchanted with Water Breathing, allowing players to breathe underwater for ten seconds. Additionally, players can use the Turtle Shell at a brewing stand to make Potion of the Turtle Master. This tonic reduces damage taken but decreases movement speed for a brief duration.

Minecraft is available on PC, Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.

About The Author