Pteranodon Taming Guide: Ark Survival Ascended

Getting your first flying mount changes how you play ARK Survival Ascended. Walking everywhere exposes you to aggressive raptors, the slow grind of gathering materials, and the constant threat of getting cornered on foot. A Pteranodon gives you the sky, letting you scout out safe base locations, grab critical early drops, and escape danger in seconds.

Taming a Pteranodon doesn't require high-end gear or complex traps. You can knock out a low-to-mid-level flyer using basic early-game tools if you manage your stamina and aim carefully. This guide breaks down exact preparation steps, effective taming methods, and how to build a reliable utility flyer for your tribe.

Preparing for Your First Pteranodon Tame

Before you even look for a Pteranodon, you need the right gear. Trying to tame one unprepared usually ends with a dead tame or a broken weapon.

You should reach at least level 38 to unlock the basic Bow and tranquilizer arrows. While you can technically use a Slingshot at lower levels, it deals very low torpor and massive direct damage, meaning you'll likely kill the Pteranodon before it falls unconscious. More reporting by Bloomberg highlights comparable perspectives on the subject.

Pack these essential items before heading out:

• A functional Bow paired with 25 to 40 Tranq Arrows, depending on the creature's level.
• A Bolas setup. Bolas are mandatory because they pin a Pteranodon to the ground when it tries to flee.
• Basic taming food. Raw Mutton is the fastest standard meat tame, but Raw Prime Meat works well if you can harvest it quickly. Regular Raw Meat works fine for lower levels, though it takes longer.
• A few Narcoberries or Narcotics to keep the torpor high while it feeds.
• A simple wooden cage or foundation trap if you plan to tame higher levels safely.

Locating and Assessing the Target

Pteranodons spawn abundantly across most coastal regions, beaches, and inland rivers throughout the island maps. They usually rest on cliffs, rocks, or sandy shores, taking flight the moment you approach too quickly.

Look for a high-level spawn if possible. ARK Survival Ascended scales base stats heavily based on wild levels, meaning a level 150 Pteranodon will have vastly superior weight, stamina, and health compared to a level 10 specimen.

Scan the landing spot before you shoot. Pteranodons share spawning zones with dangerous predators like Spinos, Rexes, and packs of Troodons. Clear the surrounding area first so nothing attacks your unconscious tame while you wait for it to feed.

The Taming Process Step-by-Step

Once you find a suitable Pteranodon, execute these steps carefully to ensure a clean knockout.

1. Equip your Bola in your hotbar and hold a Tranq Arrow loaded in your bow.
2. Sneak close enough to throw the Bola. Pteranodons scare easily, so crouching in the brush helps you close the distance.
3. Throw the Bola the moment it lands or rests on the ground. A successful hit roots the creature in place for 30 seconds, preventing it from flying away.
4. Fire Tranq Arrows directly into its body. Avoid headshots, as headshot multipliers in ARK increase raw damage rather than torpor, which risks killing the animal.
5. Watch the torpor bar fill up. If the Pteranodon manages to break free from the Bola before dropping, chase it on foot and wait for it to land again, or throw another Bola if you're quick enough.
6. Access its inventory once it falls unconscious. Place your chosen meat and Narcotics inside immediately.

Keep a close eye on the unconscious animal's torpor meter. Pteranodons lose torpor relatively fast, so force-feed Narcotics whenever the bar drops below the halfway mark.

Feeding Preferences and Efficiency

Food quality dictates how fast the taming meter fills and how many bonus levels your Pteranodon inherits upon completion.

• Exceptional Kibble: The absolute best option. It provides massive taming effectiveness and drops taming times down to minutes, though you need high-level farm resources to craft it.
• Raw Mutton: Harvested from Ovis sheep. It offers the best balance of speed and accessibility for mid-game players.
• Raw Prime Meat: Gathered by killing larger predators like Carnos or Rexes. It spoils extremely fast, so keep it in a preserving bin or on a tamed carnivore with preserving salt.
• Regular Raw Meat: The fallback option. It takes significantly longer and reduces bonus levels, but it requires zero specialized setup.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Many players fail their first flyer tame due to a few common errors.

• Shooting the Head: Players often assume headshots speed up taming. In ARK, headshots deal extra physical damage while applying normal torpor, meaning you'll often kill the creature instead of knocking it out.
• Forgetting the Bola: Trying to shoot a moving Pteranodon in flight wastes arrows and usually scares it off across the map where you lose track of it.
• Leaving the Tame Unprotected: Small beach creatures like Dilophosaurs or ants will slowly chip away at an unconscious Pteranodon's health, ruining your taming effectiveness. Always build a spike wall or stand guard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What level do I need to be to ride a Pteranodon?

You unlock the Pteranodon Saddle engram at level 38. You'll need Hide, Wood, and Fiber to craft it at a Smithy or Player Inventory.

Why did my Pteranodon die while I was taming it?

You likely dealt too much health damage relative to its torpor. Use higher-tier Tranq Arrows or a Crossbow to deliver more torpor per hit, and never shoot it in the head.

How do I increase its weight stat effectively?

Wild Pteranodons have notoriously low weight capacities, making them poor for heavy resource hauling. Focus level-up points into Stamina and Movement Speed for scouting, or Health if you plan to use it for barrel-roll combat against small targets.

Can Pteranodons carry other players or small creatures?

Yes. Pteranodons possess a grab attack using the secondary action button. They can lift small creatures like Dodos, Compsys, and even enemy players on official PvP servers.