Taming a Pteranodon in ARK Survival Ascended turns the skies into your personal highway, offering speed, mobility, and breathtaking views. This guide walks you through efficient methods, timing tips, and key risks so you can secure a reliable aerial mount without wasting resources.
Use this roadmap to plan your first high-flying companion and avoid common pitfalls that slow down mid to late game progression.
| Stage | Best Method | Typical Duration | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Scout | Net or bug-net egg steal | 5–15 minutes | Medium |
| Mid Game | Adult knockout with bola and tranq | 1–2 hours | High |
| End Game | Ghost wyvern grab or breeding farm | Variable | Low to Medium |
Optimal Taming Setup And Inventory Prep
Sedatives And Transport Gear
Bring a reliable tranq bow or crossbow with a quiver of tranq arrows, ensuring you can safely reduce a Pteranodon’s health without killing it. Stock up on narcotics, medical brews, and basic armor to keep the torpor rising manageable during the long fight.
Food And Sustain Options
Carry stacks of kibble, prime meat, or specialized recipes to keep the creature fed once unconscious. Including berry crops or portable water jars in your saddle bag helps extend the taming window if you need to pause or relocate.
Knockdown And Immobilization Tactics
Bola Setup And Aim Practice
Use a bola to reliably trip a flying Pteranodon, giving you a stable window to shoot tranq arrows. Practice on moving targets at a safe distance, as a well placed bola can save you dozens of arrows and prevent escape into dangerous terrain.
Positioning And Hitboxes
Attack from below or behind to hit the relatively small head hitbox while avoiding wing flaps and beak strikes. If you’re on foot, circle the creature and use natural cover to stay out of its line of sight between shots.
Torpor Management And Feeding Routine
Controlling Torpor Spikes
Pteranodons lose torpor quickly once sedated, so stack narcotics or use fast acting tranquilizers to keep the sedation window open. Monitor the torpor bar constantly, because a sudden drop can let the mount wake and flee.
Efficient Feeding After Tame
Once tamed, assign the Pteranodon to a preferred food slot and use auto feed sparingly to avoid overfeeding. Adjust the quantity based on your travel plans, since a well fed flyer conserves stamina and maintains aerial endurance longer.
Advanced Capture And Sky Mobility Tips
Aerial Netting And Grapple Use
An Yutyrannus grab or a flyer with a net can help secure a Pteranodon in place, especially on uneven terrain. Combine this with a quick structure or cliff edge trap to prevent dives that waste darts and arrows.
Fast Travel And Squad Roles
After taming, pair your Pteranodon with a quick ground mount for coordinated escapes and supply runs. Use the flyer for scouting, high ground harassment, and rapid base resupply, but always keep a spare glider or parachute for you in case of dismount emergencies.
Master The Skies With Consistent Practice And Preparation
- Secure a safe taming location away from rival tribes and wandering predators.
- Practice bola aim and tranq shot timing on the same species before attempting high level targets.
- Keep a steady supply of narcotics, kibble, and medical items throughout the process.
- Build a secure enclosure with multiple doors to prevent escapes during imprinting and checks.
- Pair your flyer with a ground transport mount for better resource mobility and emergency rescue.
- Use fertilized eggs and an incubator to speed up imprinting and gain stronger stats.
- Plan fast escape routes and backup gliders to avoid losing your mount to terrain or rivals.
FAQ
Reader questions
How can I safely tame a high level Pteranodon without losing it to other players?
Choose a remote island or cave entrance, build a secure enclosure with multiple trapdoors, and work during off peak hours to minimize interruptions. Disable cross tribe claiming in your tribe settings if you have access, and always have a fast escape option ready.
What is the fastest method to knock out a Pteranodon in solo play?
Use a long range crossbow with high damage tranq bolts, aiming for the head while staying below its line of sight. Keep a bola or rocktrooper grenade in your hotbar for quick immobilization if it attempts to ascend or circle away.
Can I use fertilized eggs to speed up imprinting and reduce total taming time?
Yes, placing a fertilized Pteranodon egg in an incubator and hatching it at the right moment triggers instant imprinting, which significantly cuts total taming time and improves the newborn’s base stats when fed properly.
What should I do if my tamed Pteranodon keeps falling through the map or clipping into terrain?
Check collision settings, verify the height of your landing platform, and avoid placing the creature on slopes with steep angles. Adjust its position manually or use a grapple to pull it back onto flat ground before it clips and takes falling damage.