Talk: Tutorials/Turtle farming

Is the design in the diagram (still) correct for Bedrock?[]

While trying to get to the beech, the adult turtles appear to get stuck under the top slab. Is there something about this design that doesn't work now in Bedrock? (Or have I just implemented it wrongly?) 90.214.17.133 00:46, 20 October 2018 (UTC)

Hmm, it works for me. I have to check if I got the block spacing right (I can't check now, Minecraft isn't on the computer I'm using now). Your water source block might be too far away from the slab.

Here's a YouTube video showing a similar farm (but not Bedrock edition): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJC8rSaOKbI

You'll notice in the time-lapse segment shown at the beginning, the turtles also get stuck under the slab but they also get out again. And that farm has its top water block further away from the slab than the design in this article. That video isn't Bedrock edition, though. ~Amatulić (talk) 03:24, 20 October 2018 (UTC)

I just had a look at the farm I built, and the diagram in the article is correct. I found two turtles and attracted them into the farm, and watched as they left of their own accord. One of them spent some time under the slab but eventually made its way out.

It's important that you have a water source block just one block away from that top slab. The air block in between will actually have water flowing through it, but that isn't shown in the picture (there aren't any icons showing downward flow of water from the side). If your water source block is 2 blocks away, then the turtle may not be able to bridge the gap. ~Amatulić (talk) 04:20, 21 October 2018 (UTC)

Which water blocks are sources?[]

Of the water blocks to the right of the slabs, which are source blocks? I'm (obviously) a little confused. I note your other comment about the source blocks next to the upper slab, but are any of the others sources or just runoff/stationary? I tried adding water sources in all the places, but it leaves the top right most block as stationary water which, while it might work, I'm fairly sure isn't what you intended... Phunnilemur (talk) 19:16, 5 December 2018 (UTC)

@Phunnilemur: All water blocks shown are stationary source blocks. They will create water flow into the adjacent air blocks. Unfortunately the {{Schematic}} template doesn't include icons for flowing water, so the water runoff isn't shown.

The main idea here is to create a 1-block gap between the top slab and the next water source block, such that a large turtle can span it but a baby turtle can't. I'm using a 1-block gap, but the video linked in the section above uses a 2-block gap between the slab and the water source.

Admittedly this is the most basic farm, not really efficient, but it's feasible in survival mode without needing any special acquisitions. In practice it takes a very long time to get working, and I have a couple of turtles that just hang around without doing anything. Finding eggs to harvest with Silk Touch and transporting them to the farm is one way to get it working faster. ~ Amatulic (talk) 21:05, 5 December 2018 (UTC)

Allowing turtles to leave[]

"Each baby turtle will grow up (dropping a scute) and leave."

Why let them leave, instead of fencing them all around to make sure there will be always turtles protected for breeding? --187.94.193.57 22:54, 8 March 2019 (UTC)

That's a good question. I assumed that turtles need to mate away from their home beach, like in the real world. In any case, if they were born in the farm, they will return to the farm to lay eggs. And if the farm gets too crowded with turtles there won't be room for eggs. Also, see my comment above: even if they can leave I have a couple of turtles that don't leave, and they don't do anything else either, just lay around, even if I feed them seagrass. So they might need to leave in order to come back to lay eggs. ~ Amatulic (talk) 04:09, 9 March 2019 (UTC)

• They don't need to be distant from their home beach for mating. "My turtles" are always near the beach where they lay the eggs.
• The crowded farm problem can be fixed by killing some of the turtles, but if they are left free to roam outside, they could become difficult to find, or maybe accidentaly die from cactus, lava, creepers, etc. The crowded farm problem can be easily circumvented, while this other I mentioned, can't.

--187.94.193.57 16:21, 9 March 2019 (UTC)

Yes, my turtles don't venture far from their home beach either. The thing is, if you get rid of turtles due to crowding, rather than letting the leave and return to lay eggs when they feel like it, you reduce the population of turtles that can lay eggs in your farm. This is supposed to be an AFK farm, meaning that after your initial management to get it started, it should be maintenance-free after that, letting you return periodically to collect scutes. I'll admit, though, that the farm described in this tutorial has a very slow production rate. I find I have enough other things to do in my survival world that the production rate isn't that important; when I have enough scutes I'll make a helmet and then try some underwater activities, but until then I have plenty of other tasks to do in the overworld. ~ Amatulic (talk) 21:21, 9 March 2019 (UTC)

"letting the[m] leave and return to lay eggs when they feel like it" Are they able to breed without player intervention, that is, without the player feeding seagrass to them?

"This is supposed to be an AFK farm" I thought the breeding couldn't be done AFK.--187.94.193.57 16:45, 10 March 2019 (UTC)

Yes, turtles breed on their own. That's the reason you can find turtle eggs in the first place. I've come across turtles breeding on their own in the wild. The point of this farm is to create a breeding ground that turtles return to, and that confines the baby turtles until they grow up, so scutes can be caught. While turtles can breed without your intervention, sticking around to manage your farm will speed things up. ~ Amatulic (talk) 07:14, 11 March 2019 (UTC)

To help with this "problem", I put a series of trapdoors just outside the open blocks in the schematic. When closed, the turtles can't leave, but when open (and with the slabs in accessible locations), they can leave. (In the schematic, I put a temporary block on the sea side of the top-left block. I then attached the trapdoors to the bottom and next to the permanent block (from the outside). Finally, I removed the temporary block and closed the trapdoors. SirDaddicus (talk) 14:30, 24 July 2021 (UTC)

Turtles not being able to leave[]

In my testworld (version 1.15.2) adult ones are flapping in front of the top slab as if they were trying lo leave, but it seems that they can't. They get into the gap inbetween the slabs and get stuck there, swimming their face into the wall.

Yeah, I'm using it in 1.16, and a significant number of turtles are getting stuck. Some of them are making it into the lip, but even those often seem reluctant to actually leave. I had to start laying about with an axe to clear out the crowd. Especially since the crowding seems to prevent the baby turtles from getting onto their slabs to drop their scutes. --MentalMouse42 (talk) 19:18, 10 May 2020 (UTC)

Well... Turtle#Breeding says that the pregnant turtle is 0.2 blocks bigger. That may prevent it from fitting through the gap, while letting through the non-pregnant one. Perhaps an alternative design can work with a 1.5 block gap. That would still prevent drowned from coming through, although baby drowned could still get through. Amatulic (talk) 23:08, 23 July 2021 (UTC)

I am now able to get the adults to the open water. I added ONE slab towards the waterfall at the same level as the current row of slabs. I added another next to it, but down a half-block. This provided a series of half-steps, and the adults seem to be able to scale it now. However, it doesn't work to add slabs all the way across the width of the farm. The adults, after they grow up, can't seem to reliably get back to the beach area.

My farm is five blocks wide, and two of them are these second slabs, one at the same level and the one next to it a half-block lower. I don't know how to change the schematic picture, but there would be three required now. SirDaddicus (talk) 13:59, 24 July 2021 (UTC)

Would you please upload a screenshot of your farm? I'll figure out how to correct the schematic.

Also see the schematic in the section below. It's a bit more compact and doesn't use any slabs. I'm curious if that would work also in 1.16 / 1.17. Basically all you do is have a 1-block gap between the water source blocks and the seawall. Amatulic (talk) 19:06, 24 July 2021 (UTC)

I took out the bottom "step", but they still seem able to get up on the ledge. It would be hard for me to change it to the picture below. I used the original cross-sectional schematic, with two modifications. First, I only have one source block of water (at the top-right). Second, I added a single slab to the right of the upper slab, but note that my farm is five blocks wide, and there's only one of these extra slabs, in the middle.

I have a screenshot, but I don't know how to upload it. SirDaddicus (talk) 20:10, 24 July 2021 (UTC)

Here: SirDaddicus (talk) 20:17, 24 July 2021 (UTC)

I see. It looks from that picture like you have a two-block gap between your top water source block and the original slab. That's why the turtles can't get out. The gap cannot be larger than one block. and the slab needs to be at the same level as the water source block. Your slab looks higher although that may be the perspective playing tricks on me. Amatulic (talk) 20:36, 24 July 2021 (UTC)

It's a perspective thing. But, the block between is flowing water, so the adults CAN cross it. Earlier, I had another slab a half-block below (and to the left), but the babies could get onto that one, so I took it out.

I'm going to widen my farm to six blocks, and add a second slab (at the same level), because it seems only one can fit onto it at a time, and they tend to camp out on the edges and corners.

Thanks for all your help in this. It takes a monstrously long time to get eggs to hatch, so I want all the help I can get to make the wiki pages reflect reality (as best we can). SirDaddicus (talk) 21:33, 24 July 2021 (UTC)

Yes, it's flowing water, but so is the gap in the schematic. As I recall when I wrote this article, there needs to be a water source block one block away from that slab. Water flows into the gap, and it looks like the gap is full of flowing water, but the baby turtle's can't cross it.

I just built one based on the design in the section below, in creative mode. Any ideas on how to speed up egg hatching? I'm at my third night of waiting at the moment. Amatulic (talk) 21:49, 24 July 2021 (UTC)

The only thing I've found is to set the clock to 21600. However, that seems to somewhat reduce the odds of cracking.

They CAN crack twice in that stretch, but my testing (which is VERY limited at this point) says there's about a 1/2 to 1/3 chance of an egg cracking each night. Note that if there are more than one egg present on a block, they all crack at the same time. But, they crack independently of other egg blocks. Sorry, that's the best I can offer so far. SirDaddicus (talk) 22:03, 24 July 2021 (UTC)

OK, my eggs finally hatched, and I verified that the design in the section below allowed the baby turtles to escape.

To the right is my original design without the bottom slabs (you can see the hoppers exposed), using cut sandstone for the top slabs. There are source water blocks where the bottom slabs would be. All water blocks 1 block below beach level are still water. There are two rows of source water blocks at the beach level. And there is a 1-block gap between the source blocks and the cut sandstone slabs at the exit. I verified that the adult turtles can get out just fine. It's important to have two rows of source blocks at the beach (not one) because the turtles need a region of still water to be able to get out. I'm on Bedrock 1.17.

If your turtles cannot leave, that tells me that your gap is too wide.

I also found that I can eliminate one hopper by placing the chest (visible at the left end of the row of hoppers) under the side wall with a glass block on top. A chest can still open with a glass block on it. I used to need an extra hopper to put the chest outside the wall. Now a 5-block-wide farm needs only 5 hoppers. Amatulic (talk) 22:28, 24 July 2021 (UTC)

I can confirm that taking out the gap between the water source block and the slabs does allow the adult turtles to leave. (I now have two water source blocks between the slabs and the sandy "beach" area where the eggs are laid.) I have also not seen a baby turtle manage to escape to the wild yet, although it's only been two nights. Still, they seem to get sucked down right away, and seem perfectly happy to stay there (or, come back on shore occasionally). SirDaddicus (talk) 23:15, 24 July 2021 (UTC)

The gap should have only flowing water in it, on the top surface.

I've also confirmed that I need at least two water source blocks on each layer of water as shown in the schematic. I was reminded why just today. Turtles need some still water space, and one water source block isn't enough. The turtles can't leave otherwise, or even get up onto the beach; they get trapped by the flowing water.

I also found that by actively managing the farm, you don't need to let any turtles leave until you've bred them. Let the babies grow up, breed them, get 'em onto the beach to lay eggs, and let them leave (by letting go of the seagrass) once they have laid eggs so you can do the same with the next brood of turtles. I have also had to go out into the ocean holding seagrass to get them to leave the farm.

I noticed that one pregnant turtle wouldn't get up onto the beach to lay eggs, she just hang around under the slab even when I held sea grass. I had to get in the water and push her a bit (or even hit bare-handed). Once I got her near the beach, she took over, got up there and started digging sand to lay eggs. She's still hanging around though.

It does seem that the bottom slab is unnecessary.

I did see a baby turtle escape. The adult turtle hanging out under (more like in) the stop slab was apparently used as a step for the baby turtle to climb out. Without an adult there, it seems impossible for a baby to leave. Amatulic (talk) 00:21, 25 July 2021 (UTC)

Is half slab design still needed for recent versions?[]

From my testing, baby turtles very rarely fall into hoppers on 1.15.2+, and don't suffocate in them. So all that's really needed is running water to direct floating items on the surface into a hopper, and the same downwards-slope at the exit to allow only adults to leave. – Unsigned comment added by 207.255.190.236 (talk) at 23:23, 21 July 2020 (UTC)‎ (UTC). Sign comments with ~~~~

When I originally wrote this article, I put the slabs on top of the hoppers because the farm production is so slow that I didn't want to put any of the baby turtles at risk of not growing up. If they fall into a hopper, what happens to them? Do they still grow?

The slabs at water level are intended to allow the adult turtles to bridge the gap between the water and the farm's seawall. It looks like your compact design solves this problem. Amatulic (talk) 22:40, 23 July 2021 (UTC)

I simplified the schematic a bit so that it doesn't require as many water source blocks and makes the beach level with the ocean outside. Amatulic (talk) 19:09, 24 July 2021 (UTC)

Update: This design does not work in 1.17. The baby turtles escape. Amatulic (talk) 21:57, 24 July 2021 (UTC)

I'm on Java (1.17.1). I think the lower of the two slabs is not needed, but the top one still seems needed. I have yet to see a baby turtle escape, even with that top slab still in place (right next to a water source block). (My biggest problem is getting the adults to leave the farm on their own.) SirDaddicus (talk) 00:48, 25 July 2021 (UTC)

For the design shown in this section, baby turtles escape. Adding a top slab would make it even easier for them to escape because then you eliminate the gap to the water block. The design in the article works, and I agree the bottom slab isn't needed. I'll remove it. Amatulic (talk) 03:54, 25 July 2021 (UTC)

I agree (finally). It turns out I have THREE water blocks across the top, to the right of the slab (that's not in this picture). The first is a flowing water block, and the next two (to the right) are source blocks, making my configuration very similar to the main page's model. I have not seen a baby escape with that flowing-water "gap" in place.

BUT, this model here did get me to redesign mine a bit: I have a second hopper to the right of the first (pointing into the hopper to the left). This might be because the blocks at the bottom of that column are not source blocks, though. Anyhow, it catches about 50% more scutes when they drop, so it might be considered as an option in the main schematic. SirDaddicus (talk) 20:28, 25 July 2021 (UTC)

Hm, yes, that is a weakness. When I removed the bottom slab in the diagram in the article, I replaced it with a water source block. Maybe it should be blank. On the other hand, even if a baby turtle grew up in the still water that isn't over the hoppers, the scutes would still float up into the flowing water above and be washed into the hoppers. Yes, that water source block on top of the hopper in the article diagram needs to go. I'll remove it now. Amatulic (talk) 04:28, 27 July 2021 (UTC)

ALL THIS WORK just to get a turtle shell! For 10 extra seconds of water breathing. In my current game in which I'm taking over a monument, I found it simpler just to find a zombie spawner and make a zombie farm. In Hard mode, the zombies sometimes drop gold helmets enchanted by water breathing when they die. That's what I did, eventually got Water Breathing III which gives me a full minute underwater, enough to dive to the bottom of a deep ocean and get a treasure map from a shipwreck. The only reason I'd want a turtle shell is because, well, it's cool to have, and it's kind of fun to manage turtles. Amatulic (talk) 04:37, 27 July 2021 (UTC)

Well, I certainly can't disagree with you (on either point). I wish it were easier. But, on the bright side, if I don't sleep, I get to kill a lot of phantoms. :) SirDaddicus (talk) 17:02, 27 July 2021 (UTC)

Does the farm need to be built on a beach (i.e. next to an ocean)?[]

Is an actual beach required (or an ocean)? Or, can you build it against any old body of water? SirDaddicus (talk) 02:19, 23 July 2021 (UTC)

I think if you build the farm anywhere you find (or put) eggs, then it doesn't matter because the hatchlings' home beach is wherever the eggs hatch.

It is possible that turtles need a water path to their home beach and should not have to cross over land to get to it. I don't know if they require an ocean to live in; if they do, then any old body of water may not work. I've never tried building a farm on a riverbank or swamp or a player-made body of water. Maybe they need water with seagrass in it?

Experimentation is needed. Unfortunately experimenting with turtle farms takes a lot of patience because nothing happens fast with turtles. Amatulic (talk) 22:53, 23 July 2021 (UTC)

OK, thank you. I'll start some of that experimentation. :) SirDaddicus (talk) 23:11, 23 July 2021 (UTC)

Remember, turtle eggs do require sand. So some sort of beach is needed, even if it isn't an actual beach biome. It would be interesting to see if one can breed turtles in a swamp if you add enough sand on the edge of it. Amatulic (talk) 23:37, 23 July 2021 (UTC)

I have confirmed that an actual ocean is not required. I changed one reference to match, although I couldn't figure out how to alter the text for the image next to it. SirDaddicus (talk) 23:17, 24 July 2021 (UTC)

Thanks. I fixed the caption. Amatulic (talk) 04:08, 25 July 2021 (UTC)

Possible addition: doors[]

I have an addition that might enhance this farm a small amount. I would like to create a schematic, but I can't figure out where the actual schematic template is (or how to make one). So, I'll describe it:

At the very top left, attach a second block to the barrier block that's above the gap in the barrier wall.

To the bottom of this block, attach a trapdoor. Place it while facing into the farm from outside, and on the side of the block closest to the sand area.

On top of this block, place Redstone dust. (On one end or the other of the farm place a lever instead of the dust.)

This allows a barrier set of trapdoors. It's useful at the beginning, to keep the adults from escaping to the wild. They would come back, but this makes the early breeding a bit faster.

Later, it is useful to keep the adults OUT of the farm area. I go outside with some seagrass in hand and attract all the adults outside the farm. Then, I close the door. Thus, when it comes time to feed newly-hatched babies, there aren't any adults competing for my attention. SirDaddicus (talk) 20:43, 25 July 2021 (UTC)

Cool idea. You don't need any extra blocks (at least not that I could tell). Just trapdoors on the underside of the barrier, with a line of redstone dust on top, and lever on one of the barrier blocks. Adult turtles can still squeeze through the gap, at least in Bedrock Edition. On the right is a picture with the gate open and closed. Amatulic (talk) 22:32, 25 July 2021 (UTC)

I'm going to have to see if a pregnant turtle can squeeze through, though. Amatulic (talk) 03:17, 26 July 2021 (UTC)

I'll verif for Java tonight. SirDaddicus (talk) 23:19, 26 July 2021 (UTC)

I see. You hooked the doors to the underside of the barrier blocks. I didn't think of that. Great alteration!

I would check whether pregnant turtles can fit through, but my turtle farm is next to my village, and I'm currently under the voluntary exile effect, so I'm locked out until tonight. If you don't test it before then, though, I'll check that facet out. SirDaddicus (talk) 17:08, 26 July 2021 (UTC)

Pregnant turtles can still fit under the barrier with the trapdoors underneath. At least in Bedrock Edition. Amatulic (talk) 21:31, 26 July 2021 (UTC)

Verified on Java 1.17.1: pregnant turtles CAN fit through. SirDaddicus (talk) 01:48, 27 July 2021 (UTC)

Sand detail[]

In the schematic, there are seven blocks of sand. I think the top two are not needed, although I don't think they hurt, either. I have my nesting area level with the topmost water source blocks. I think those two blocks could be removed safely from the schematic (although the turtles probably don't care one way or the other). SirDaddicus (talk) 00:46, 7 August 2021 (UTC)

No, those aren't needed and they don't hurt. I removed them. The important feature is that the beach is the same level as the water. Amatulic (talk) 05:39, 7 August 2021 (UTC)

Neat! Thanks!!! SirDaddicus (talk) 19:13, 7 August 2021 (UTC)

Can add some hoppers[]

I found that one can add hoppers to the farm, and this increases the capture rate (slightly). The block that's next to the hopper, and the two sand blocks to the right of the hopper as well (although one more hopper is needed for that higher row).

If one has a lot of iron, this is a reasonable alternative.

(I'm trying to come up with a way to put a rail system underneath it, but I can't get it to work.) SirDaddicus (talk) 02:08, 22 November 2022 (UTC)

Has anybody found a way to get the turtles unstuck?[]

The turtles tend to get stuck under the slabs that are above the hoppers. Has anybody found a way to get around that problem? SirDaddicus (talk) 00:34, 16 September 2023 (UTC)

Hold sea grass in front of the turtle? It's been a long time since I worked with these farms. I recall they required a lot manual attention. Amatulic (talk) 04:18, 16 September 2023 (UTC)

IF they're not stuck under the slabs, then seagrass works. But they typically get stuck under the slabs. The only way I've found is to go under the slabs myself (using crouch) and shoving them out. Which doesn't typically work, because they go right back under again.

I was hoping someone had found an easier way (or more reliable). SirDaddicus (talk) 12:45, 16 September 2023 (UTC)