How to Tame Mesopithecus in ARK
A small monkey that rides on your shoulder. Can throw feces to slow enemies, open doors, and warn about nearby threats.
Quick Facts
- Diet
- Herbivore
- Temperament
- Passive
- Tame Method
- Passive
- Rideable
- No
Mesopithecus Taming Details
Mesopithecus is a passive tame — feed it Kibble (preferred) or Crops by hand or from its inventory without knocking it out. Its most effective taming food is Kibble (preferred) or Crops.
Alternative foods: Mejoberry, Other berries, Fresh Vegetables.
Harvest yield: a tamed or killed Mesopithecus drops Raw Meat, Hide.
Taming Steps
1. Prepare your gear
Bring Kibble (preferred) or Crops, bug repellent (if applicable), and a shield for emergencies.
2. Locate the creature
Find a wild Mesopithecus on supported maps. Check the spawn map and bring a fast mount or a flyer for transport.
3. Approach passively
Mesopithecus is a passive tame. Approach slowly with no weapons drawn, drop or hand-feed its preferred food, and avoid sudden movements.
4. Feed the right food
Place Kibble (preferred) or Crops in its inventory (alternatives: Mejoberry, Other berries, Fresh Vegetables). Higher-tier food gives faster taming and higher level bonuses.
5. Maintain torpor
Keep wild predators away — passive tames are vulnerable while feeding.
6. Claim & saddle
Once tamed, Mesopithecus will follow your commands. It cannot be ridden.
Mesopithecus base stats
Level 1 wild values, with the gain each point adds in the wild and after taming.
| Stat | Base | Per wild level | Per tamed level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health | 115 | +20.0% | +27.0% |
| Stamina | 100 | +10.0% | +10.0% |
| Oxygen | 150 | +10.0% | +10.0% |
| Food | 450 | +10.0% | +10.0% |
| Weight | 70 | +2.0% | +4.0% |
| Melee damage | 1 | +5.0% | +10.0% |
| Movement speed | 1 | +0.0% | +1.0% |
| Torpidity | 60 | +6.0% | +0.0% |
Taming & saddle figures
Breeding & movement
Where it spawns & other details
Mesopithecus spawns on The Island, Scorched Earth, Ragnarok, Valguero, Lost Colony, Genesis Part 1, The Center, Astraeos, Extinction.
Mesopithecus variants
- Eerie Mesopithecus
Related tools & resources
Mesopithecus — Background & Lore
The Mesopithecus is a small monkey and one of the earliest shoulder pets. It rides on your shoulder, throws feces at enemies, warns of intruders, and only half the weight in its inventory counts against you.
Where to find it
It lives in forests, beaches and plains on most maps in both games. It is notably frequent on Lost Colony and Ragnarok in ASA and on Genesis Part 1.
Taming
A passive tame. Put 
Basic Kibble or Mejoberries in your last hotbar slot and feed it when prompted. Kibble works better, because berries make it starve quickly. Crouch as you approach, since startling it costs health.
Breeding
- Birth: live birth after a gestation of about 2.6 hours.
- Growth: a baby matures in about 1.3 days at 1x.
Uses
- Shoulder pet: bites up close and throws feces that slow targets and block healing items.
- Guard: screeches to warn of intruders and can open thatch and wooden doors from the inside.
- Gathering: picks berries from nearby bushes when it is off your shoulder.