Armadillo scute farm in Minecraft 26.3: wolf armor without the brush grind

Wolf armor is the best thing you can do for a dog in Minecraft, and every piece costs 6 armadillo scutes. Getting scutes by brushing armadillos works, but it eats brushes fast and needs you standing there.

The better answer is the one most players overlook: armadillos drop a scute on their own every 5 to 10 minutes, the same way chickens lay eggs. Put enough armadillos over hoppers and the scutes collect themselves while you do something else.

Where to find armadillos

Armadillos spawn in two biome families:

• Savannas: savanna, savanna plateau and windswept savanna.
• Badlands: badlands, eroded badlands and wooded badlands.

They are shy. Armadillos roll up when they are hurt, when undead mobs are close, or when a player is sprinting or riding nearby. Walk, do not sprint, and they stay unrolled.

To bring them home, hold spider eyes. Armadillos follow a player holding spider eyes, so you can walk a pair back to your base. For long distances, a lead or a boat is faster.

Breeding armadillos

Feed two armadillos a spider eye each and they breed, the same way as other farm animals. A baby grows up in about 20 minutes. Start with two, breed up to ten or more, then build the farm.

If you run a mob farm or a string farm, you already have spare spider eyes: both kill spiders.

The farm

The design is the same idea as an egg farm: animals stand on hoppers, items drop into the hoppers, hoppers feed a chest.

1. Place a double chest and a row of hoppers pointing into it. Each hopper can point into the next, ending at the chest.
2. Build a pen directly on top of the hoppers. Armadillos can stand on hoppers. Use one hopper per block of floor, so every dropped scute lands in a hopper.
3. Wall the pen with glass or fences so the armadillos cannot wander off the hopper floor.
4. Lure the armadillos in with spider eyes, then close the pen.
5. Keep the chunk loaded. Armadillos only drop scutes while their chunk is loaded, so build the farm near where you spend time, such as next to your storage room.

A 2 by 5 hopper floor holds ten armadillos comfortably. Keep the pen small: crowded pens are fine for armadillos, and a smaller floor needs fewer hoppers.

How many armadillos you need

Each armadillo averages one scute every 7.5 minutes (the 5 to 10 minute range). That gives:

Ten armadillos is plenty for a whole pack of wolves, plus spares for repairs.

When brushing is still worth it

Brushing an armadillo gives a scute instantly, but costs 16 durability per use. An unenchanted brush survives only 4 scutes on Java. That makes brushing a good way to get your first set of wolf armor before the farm exists, and a bad way to supply a pack long term.

What scutes are for

• Wolf armor: 6 scutes each. Wolf armor absorbs damage that would otherwise hit your dog, and it can be dyed.
• Repairing wolf armor: right-click your armored wolf with a scute to restore part of the armor's durability. A steady scute supply keeps every dog topped up.

Frequently asked questions

How often do armadillos drop scutes?

Every 5 to 10 minutes, on their own, the same way chickens lay eggs. You do not need to do anything for this drop.

How many scutes do you need for wolf armor?

Six scutes per piece of wolf armor.

What do armadillos eat?

Spider eyes. They follow a player holding one, and feeding two of them a spider eye makes them breed.

Why does my armadillo keep rolling up?

Armadillos roll up when hurt, when undead mobs are nearby, or when a player sprints or rides close to them. Walk slowly and keep undead away.

Do armadillos need a loaded chunk to drop scutes?

Yes. Like every passive drop, scutes only drop while the chunk is loaded, so build the farm near where you play.

Related

For more hands-off animal farms, the tree farm and sugar cane farm guides use the same hopper-to-chest layout. Curious how the armadillo compares to other mobs? Its stats are in the Mobdle Bestiary.