TL;DR
- Sniffers are ancient mobs that dig up rare Torchflower Seeds and Pitcher Pods from the ground
- They require specific 6×6 space to operate and have 8-minute cooldowns between digs
- Obtain eggs from Warm Ocean Ruins suspicious sand or breed existing Sniffers
- Accelerate hatching by placing eggs on Moss Blocks (10 minutes vs standard time)
- Use Torchflower Seeds for breeding to create sustainable ancient plant farms
Minecraft’s Trails & Tales 1.20 update introduced Sniffers as unique passive mobs with specialized digging capabilities. These ancient creatures offer players access to otherwise unobtainable plant resources through their distinctive ground-sniffing behavior.
Sniffers exhibit a wandering pattern while constantly sniffing the terrain. Their powerful noses detect buried Torchflower Seeds and Pitcher Pods beneath various block types. For optimal performance, they require a minimum 6×6 unobstructed area to properly search for hidden treasures. After successfully uncovering an item, these mobs enter an eight-minute recovery period before they can resume their archaeological excavations.
Monitor Sniffers closely during their digging cycles to maximize resource collection efficiency.
When an adult Sniffer perishes, whether by player action or tamed wolf attack, it yields one to three experience points. However, eliminating baby Sniffers provides no experience reward and serves only as an ethically questionable action within your world.
Sniffers represent one of Minecraft’s rarest mob categories since they never spawn naturally in the wild. Acquiring these ancient creatures requires obtaining their distinctive eggs through two primary methods: excavation from suspicious sand found in Warm Ocean Ruins or through breeding two adult Sniffers.
Warm Ocean Ruins typically generate in Desert and Badlands biomes, making these arid regions your primary hunting grounds. When exploring these structures, carefully brush suspicious sand blocks to potentially reveal the coveted Sniffer eggs hidden within.
Sniffer eggs must be deliberately placed to initiate the hatching process.
Once you secure an egg, simply position it on any surface to begin the incubation timeline. For significantly accelerated development, place the Sniffer Egg on a Moss Block to reduce hatching duration to approximately ten minutes rather than the standard waiting period.
Pro Tip: Create dedicated hatching stations with Moss Blocks near your main base to streamline the Sniffer acquisition process. Many players overlook that eggs placed on regular blocks take nearly twice as long to hatch compared to moss-accelerated incubation.
Sniffers maintain an exclusive diet consisting solely of Torchflower Seeds. These unique seeds become accessible only after initially hatching a Sniffer egg, creating an interesting gameplay loop where you need the mob to acquire its food source.
When you provide a Torchflower Seed to a Sniffer, it receives two hearts of healing, enters Love Mode, and becomes ready for breeding. Following Love Mode completion, a new Sniffer Egg materializes nearby, continuing the reproduction cycle.
Torchflower Seeds serve as both nourishment and breeding catalyst for Sniffers.
After successful breeding, Sniffers experience a five-minute cooldown before they can reproduce again. Each breeding event rewards players with one to seven experience points, making Sniffer farms moderately rewarding for XP collection alongside their primary resource-gathering function.
Common Mistake: New Sniffer owners often attempt to feed them other seeds or plants, wasting valuable resources. Remember that their dietary requirements are exceptionally specific to Torchflower Seeds exclusively.
Optimizing your Sniffer operations requires understanding several advanced mechanics that experienced players utilize. Proper enclosure design significantly impacts their efficiency and resource output.
Create dedicated 9×9 digging areas rather than the minimum 6×6 space to allow multiple Sniffers to work simultaneously without interference. Position your enclosures near your main farming operations to streamline resource collection and processing.
Space Optimization: Sniffers require clear, flat terrain at ground level for optimal digging. Avoid multi-level enclosures or areas with overhead obstructions that can disrupt their sniffing patterns and reduce efficiency by up to 40%.
Implement a rotation system with multiple Sniffers to maintain constant seed production. Since each Sniffer has an individual eight-minute cooldown, maintaining three to four specimens ensures nearly continuous Torchflower Seed and Pitcher Pod availability.
Integration Strategy: Combine Sniffer operations with automated farming systems. The rare plants they uncover can be integrated into existing agricultural setups, creating a comprehensive botanical operation that leverages both ancient and conventional Minecraft flora.
Advanced players should note that Sniffers work exceptionally well when paired with villager trading halls, as the unique plants they provide can be valuable trade commodities.
Action Checklist
- Locate Warm Ocean Ruins in Desert/Badlands biomes and brush suspicious sand
- Create 9×9 flat, unobstructed digging areas at ground level
- Place obtained eggs on Moss Blocks to accelerate hatching (10 minutes)
- Feed Torchflower Seeds to initiate breeding and expand your Sniffer population
- Implement rotation system with 3-4 Sniffers for continuous production
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