Finding a baby ghast, officially known as a Ghastling, is one of the more unique experiences introduced in the recent Chase the Skies update. Unlike typical mobs that spawn in the wild or require traditional breeding, the baby ghast is an entity that must be nurtured from a dormant state. The process involves a mixture of exploration in the Nether, specific crafting recipes, and a precise hydration mechanic in the Overworld. This article details every step required to find, "pick up," and raise these floating companions.

The fundamental shift in Ghast mechanics

Historically, ghasts have been one of the most hostile entities in Minecraft, defined by their explosive fireballs and haunting shrieks. The introduction of the passive variant, the Happy Ghast, and its infant form, the Ghastling, changed how players interact with the sky. You cannot simply find a Ghastling wandering around the Nether; they do not spawn naturally. Instead, the journey begins with an item called the Dried Ghast block. This block acts as a seed or a dormant egg that contains the baby ghast. Obtaining this block is the first hurdle in the "picking up" process.

Step 1: Locating or crafting the Dried Ghast block

There are currently three primary methods to get your hands on a Dried Ghast block. Depending on your progress in the game and your comfort level with the Nether's Soul Sand Valleys, one method may be more suitable than the others.

Searching Soul Sand Valley fossils

The most "natural" way to find a baby ghast's starting form is by scavenging near giant fossils in the Soul Sand Valleys. These structures, made of bone blocks, occasionally harbor a small, greyish block with a sad face. This is the Dried Ghast. It is roughly half the size of a standard block and can be mined with any tool, or even by hand, making it easy to "pick up" once located. It appears that these blocks have a higher spawn rate near the base of the fossils, often partially buried in soul sand or soul soil.

Bartering with Piglins

For those who prefer a safer, albeit more RNG-dependent approach, Piglins have a small chance of offering a Dried Ghast block in exchange for gold ingots. The current observed drop rate is approximately 2%. This method allows players to stay within the relative safety of a Bastion or a controlled bartering farm rather than trekking through the dangerous open stretches of the Soul Sand Valley where hostile ghasts are common.

The crafting alternative

If exploration and luck fail, the Dried Ghast can be crafted. This is the most resource-intensive method but provides a guaranteed result. You will need eight Ghast Tears and one block of Soul Sand. By surrounding the Soul Sand with tears in a crafting table, you produce one Dried Ghast block. This highlights the ironic necessity of hunting hostile ghasts to eventually earn a friendly one.

Step 2: The hydration process in the Overworld

Once you have the Dried Ghast block in your inventory, you have effectively "picked up" the potential for a baby ghast. However, it remains a block until it is rehydrated. It is essential to note that this process cannot be completed in the Nether. The high temperatures of the Nether prevent water from being placed, and even if you use cheats to place water, the rehydration logic is tied to the Overworld environment.

Setting up the hydration pool

To begin the transformation, place the Dried Ghast block on flat ground and submerge it in water. The block must be fully waterlogged or surrounded by water source blocks. Once submerged, a timer of 20 minutes (one full Minecraft day) begins. During this time, the block undergoes several visual stages. It is quite rewarding to watch the facial expression on the block transition from "Sad" to "Neutral," then to "Happy," and finally "Very Happy" at five-minute intervals. Green particles will also emanate from the block, signifying that the life-cycle has been successfully triggered.

Step 3: Imprinting on the Ghastling

At the end of the 20-minute hydration period, the block will pop and transform into a Ghastling. This is the official "baby ghast." This tiny creature is approximately 0.95 blocks in height and width, making it a miniature version of its future self.

The imprinting system

The Ghastling uses an imprinting system rather than a traditional taming mechanic. It will automatically bond with the nearest player upon its emergence from the water. This is a crucial moment. Ensure that you are the closest person to the block when it transforms. Once imprinted, the Ghastling will follow you within a 16-block radius. If there are other passive mobs nearby, the baby ghast might occasionally wander toward them out of curiosity, but its primary loyalty remains with the player it first saw.

Step 4: Transporting and "picking up" your baby ghast

While you cannot put a Ghastling into your inventory like an item, there are several ways to move it to your base or across the world.

Using leads

Ghastlings are compatible with leads. This is the most reliable way to ensure they don't drift off into the atmosphere. Because they are floating entities, they don't suffer from the same pathfinding issues as land-based mobs like cows or wolves. You can lead them across oceans or over mountains with ease.

Tempting with snowballs

If you don't have a lead, you can "lure" the baby ghast. Their favorite item is the snowball. By holding a snowball in your hand, the Ghastling will be tempted to follow you, much like a sheep follows wheat. This is particularly useful for fine-tuning their position within a base or a nursery.

The boat mechanic

Interestingly, despite being a flying mob, a Ghastling can be placed in a boat. This effectively "picks them up" for long-distance transport. If you are moving across a vast ocean, putting your baby ghast in a boat with you ensures it doesn't get distracted by other entities or lag behind. Use a lead on the boat to tow it if you want to transport multiple Ghastlings at once.

Step 5: Growth and maturity

A Ghastling takes 20 minutes (24,000 game ticks) to grow into a full-sized Happy Ghast naturally. For players who are impatient to take to the skies, this process can be accelerated.

Feeding mechanics

Snowballs are the key to rapid growth. The mechanics differ slightly between game editions:

  • Java Edition: Each snowball fed to a Ghastling reduces the remaining growth time by 10%.
  • Bedrock Edition: It typically takes a flat amount of 10 snowballs to trigger the transition from baby to adult.

Feeding the baby ghast is as simple as right-clicking it while holding a stack of snowballs. You will see green bone-meal-style particles indicating that the growth has been boosted.

Step 6: Transitioning to the Happy Ghast

Once the Ghastling reaches maturity, it transforms into a Happy Ghast. Its size increases significantly to 4.0 blocks in height and width. At this point, the interaction changes from merely "having a pet" to "having a mount."

The Home Location system

Happy Ghasts are bound to a "Home" point. Initially, this is the location where they grew up. If you want to move their home to a specific stable or landing pad, you must perform one of the following actions at the new location:

  1. Equip or remove a harness.
  2. Detach a lead.
  3. Dismount the creature.

Once the home location is updated, the Happy Ghast will roam within a 64-block radius of that point if unharnessed, or a 32-block radius if it has a harness equipped. This prevents them from floating away into the void or getting lost in the clouds.

Using the baby ghast for aerial utility

Even before they are fully grown, Ghastlings have unique properties that are useful for technical players.

Submerged behavior

Unlike their adult counterparts, Ghastlings do not drown. They are perfectly comfortable underwater. This makes them excellent for underwater base aesthetics or as a companion for aquatic exploration. Their light, floating nature means they won't get stuck in coral or kelp.

Detection and passive behavior

Because the baby ghast is a passive mob, it does not trigger the same defensive responses from other mobs. You can keep them in a farm area without scaring away villagers or livestock. They are also unaffected by speed potions, which is a minor detail but important for those trying to optimize their movement speeds through status effects.

Advanced Transport: The Harness

To truly utilize the potential of the creature you raised from a Ghastling, you will need a harness. The recipe involves three leather, two glass blocks, and one wool block. The color of the wool determines the color of the harness, allowing for customization. Once equipped, the Happy Ghast becomes a four-person mount.

Controlling the flight

The pilot (the first person to mount) controls the direction. Movement is tied to where the player looks. Pressing the jump key allows for vertical ascent. There is no dedicated descent key; instead, you simply look down and move forward. This intuitive control scheme makes the transition from baby ghast to adult mount incredibly satisfying.

Carrying extra loads

A unique feature of the Happy Ghast (and by extension, the entities it can interact with) is the ability to carry leashed boats or mobs. While sneaking, you can attach a leashed boat to the underside of the ghast. This allows you to transport not just yourself and three friends, but also an entire boat-full of items or even a Sniffer across the world. The baby ghast you "picked up" earlier has now become the ultimate logistics tool.

Health and Regeneration

It is important to keep your companion healthy. Happy Ghasts have 20 health points (10 hearts). They regenerate 1 HP every 30 seconds naturally. However, if you want to heal them faster, take them to the clouds. Between Y-levels 187 and 196, their regeneration jumps to 1 HP per second. The same effect occurs during rain or snow. This environmental healing makes them very durable as long as you stay at high altitudes.

Building with Ghasts

A final tip for those who have successfully raised a Ghastling: when a player stands on top of a Happy Ghast, it becomes a solid, stationary platform. It aligns itself to the cardinal directions and stops moving entirely. This allows you to use your ghast as a mobile scaffolding or a floating base-building platform. You can place blocks while standing on its head, making high-altitude construction significantly safer.

Summary of the lifecycle

To recap the process of "picking up" and raising a baby ghast:

  1. Acquire a Dried Ghast block via Nether fossils, Piglin bartering, or crafting (8 tears + 1 soul sand).
  2. Rehydrate in the Overworld by submerging the block in water for 20 minutes.
  3. Imprint on the Ghastling by being the closest player when it transforms.
  4. Manage the baby using leads or snowballs for easy transport.
  5. Grow the baby naturally or speed it up with snowballs.
  6. Equip a harness once adult to unlock 4-player flight and cargo transport.

Raising a baby ghast requires patience and a bit of a grind for Ghast tears, but the result is arguably the most versatile and friendly mob in the current version of Minecraft. Whether you want a floating pet to follow you around your base or a massive aerial transport for your multiplayer server, the Ghastling is the starting point for it all.