Quick answer: To tame a Triceratops in ARK Survival Ascended you knock it out with tranquilizer arrows to the body and feed it Simple Kibble (its favorite) or, if you have none, Archelon Algae, vegetables or Mejoberries. A level 150 Trike needs 16 Simple Kibble and about 20 minutes at official 1x rates; on Tharyon, with 8x taming, 2 kibble and roughly 3 minutes are enough.
Updated October 2026 for ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA).
The Triceratops, or Trike, is one of the first tames almost every player makes. It is tough, gathers berries and thatch in large amounts and its charge helps fend off mid-sized predators early in the game.
Triceratops quick facts in ARK Survival Ascended
| Diet | Herbivore |
|---|---|
| Temperament | Docile (fights back if attacked) |
| Taming method | Knockout (knock it out, then feed it) |
| Preferred kibble | Simple Kibble |
| Best food | Archelon Algae and Vegetables |
| How to immobilize it | Chain Bola, Large Bear Trap, Plant Species Y Trap and the Harpoon Launcher net |
| How to knock it out | Tranquilizer arrows (or a club and Slingshot with patience); shoot the body, because the head only takes 0.15x damage |
| Saddle | Trike Saddle (level 16) |
| Maps (ASA) | The Island, The Center, Ragnarok, Extinction, Valguero, Lost Island |
How to tame a Triceratops step by step
- Prepare Simple Kibble, or Mejoberries and vegetables. Bring a few Narcotics in case it takes longer.
- Shoot the body with tranquilizer arrows, not the head: the frill absorbs almost all the damage.
- Back off while it chases you: it is slow and turns poorly, so sidestepping works.
- Wait a few seconds between shots so torpor builds up without too much damage.
- Once it drops, add only the food you want it to eat and watch the torpor bar.
Triceratops taming food and taming calculator
These numbers come from ARK’s taming formula for a level 150 Triceratops. The 1x column is the official rate and the 8x column is Tharyon’s rate. They are estimates: hitting the sleeping creature or a game patch can change them slightly.
| Food | Amount 1x | Time 1x | Amount 8x (Tharyon) | Time 8x (Tharyon) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple Kibble | 16 | 20 min | 2 | 3 min |
| Archelon Algae (ASA) | 40 | 24 min | 5 | 3 min |
| Vegetables | 160 | 1 h 36 min | 20 | 12 min |
| Mejoberry | 213 | 1 h 36 min | 27 | 12 min |
| Berries | 319 | 1 h 36 min | 40 | 12 min |
Triceratops taming time by level with Simple Kibble
| Level | Amount 1x | Time 1x | Narcotics 1x | Amount 8x | Time 8x |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 5 | 6 min | 0 | 1 | 1 min |
| 60 | 8 | 10 min | 0 | 1 | 1 min |
| 100 | 12 | 15 min | 0 | 2 | 3 min |
| 150 | 16 | 20 min | 0 | 2 | 3 min |
A level 150 Triceratops has about 2485 torpor. With the amounts in the table you usually do not need narcotics on Tharyon, but bring a few in case it takes longer than expected.
Where to find the Triceratops in ARK Ascended
It is one of the most common herbivores on the official maps and is easy to spot on beaches and grasslands from the early levels. It usually travels in small groups and is easy to recognize by its three horns and large head frill.
Official ARK Survival Ascended maps where it spawns: The Island, The Center, Ragnarok, Extinction, Valguero, Lost Island.
Triceratops abilities and uses
- Gathers lots of berries with its horns, great for collecting Mejoberries and Narcoberries.
- Charge: hold the attack to build up and release to ram in the camera’s direction; it breaks trees and yields lots of thatch.
- Medium creatures hit by the ram are crippled for 5 seconds.
- Rivalry: near a large hostile carnivore it gains health, melee damage and resistance.
Triceratops variants
The Aberrant Triceratops (Aberration) and the X-Triceratops (event only) can be tamed. Corrupted, Skeletal, VR and Malfunctioned Tek versions cannot, and the Tek Triceratops does not spawn in ASA.
Triceratops breeding
The egg takes 2 h 30 min to hatch and the baby needs 1 d 22 h 18 min to reach adulthood at official rates. The egg needs 22-28 °C. On Tharyon (25x hatching and 35x maturation) that drops to about 6 min and 1 h 19 min.
Tips and mistakes to avoid
- If it gets stuck between trees or rocks it is much easier to knock out.
- Fire and explosives deal less damage to it than usual.
- A tamed Trike is a good first line of defense against raptors and other small carnivores.
Tame your Triceratops faster on Tharyon
On Tharyon taming runs at 8x: a level 150 Triceratops is ready in about 3 min instead of 20 min.
- ARK Survival Ascended with crossplay: PC, PS5 and Xbox.
- 8x taming, 2.5x XP and harvesting, 35x maturation and 25x hatching.
- 11 PvE maps: The Island, The Center, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Ragnarok, Valguero, Lost Island, Genesis 1, Astraeos and Forglar.
- Automatic events (a supply crate every 60 minutes and an event creature every 70), quests and an in-game shop.
To join, hop into our Discord and use the /link command. See every rate in the rates section.
Triceratops taming FAQ
What is the best food for taming a Trike?
Simple Kibble. After that, Archelon Algae, vegetables, Mejoberries and regular berries.
How long does it take to tame a Trike?
A level 150 Trike takes about 20 minutes with Simple Kibble at 1x. On Tharyon (8x) it takes about 3 minutes.
Why do my arrows barely affect the Triceratops?
Because you are hitting the head: the frill takes very little damage. Aim for the body.
Where can I find a Triceratops?
On beaches and grasslands of almost every official map; it is very common from the start.
What level unlocks the Trike Saddle?
At level 16.
Why is my Triceratops not taming?
It is almost always one of these: it is not hungry yet (it only eats when its food bar drops, so the first bite can take a while), the food in its inventory is not one it accepts, it woke up because torpor ran out, or something is attacking it. Check that the taming bar goes up every time it eats.
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