Breeding and Pregnancy

**Breeding** is a game mechanic.

While male wolves can breed with females without any cooldowns, female wolves can only breed when they are  **in Heat**. Each pack can only have one assigned **Breeding Male** to whom all female wolves can be bred. After a successful breeding, the mother will be  **Pregnant** for 4 rollovers. After giving birth, she will be nursing her litter for the next 5 rollovers. After she weans her offspring, she will enter a 15 rollover  **Cooldown** period.

A wolf requires at least 2% energy, 50% hunger, 80% mood, and 1HP to breed. Each breeding attempt will use up 2% energy from both. Depending on the female wolf's **Fertility**, it will take more or less attempts for her to become pregnant.

Certain Illnesses may impact a wolf's ability to breed, and some illnesses can be transmitted through breeding. (See: Illnesses & Herbalism)

Other than the Breeding Male, female wolves can breed with their assigned **Pairbond**, if it is a male partner. Players can also request breeding to other packs' Breeding Males, with a feature called **Studding**.

## Breeding Basics

### Pregnancy and Nesting

Once pregnant, a wolf should be nested in order to safely give birth, lest she is under risk of a miscarriage. She can be nested using Nesting Material in the Nesting / Pupsitting tab. Pregnant Hunters, Scouts, and Herbalists cannot work once they are nested. (But they will be able to resume immediately after giving birth.)

When born, pups will be listed under their mother in their cave. In the case of pups of female Leaders, they will appear in a new, temporary cave at the top of the page, titled "Lead Wolf Puppies".

A pup will be under their mother’s care for 5 days. 4 rollovers after being born, a mother will wean her offspring. They will no longer be attached to her, and can be Traded, Given away, Trained, or submitted to the Enclave. If the player chases out a mother that is nursing puppies before they are weaned, the pups will be chased out with her.

### Puppy Stats and Personality

A pup’s stats are rolled at conception. They will be approximate to both parents' stats, category by category.

There is a 90% chance for a puppy to be born with a personality out of one of its parents' groups, and a 10% chance for a fully random personality.

### Litter Sizes and Runts & Largest Pups

Depending on litter size, with larger litters having an increased chance, there is a chance of runts and strongest/largest pups. Upon birth, these pups will be named ‘New Largest Puppy’ or ‘New Runt Puppy’. The rates of these pups are as follows:

1-2 pup litter, 0% chance of runt/largest pup.
3 pup litter, 10% chance of runt/largest pup.
4 pup litter, 20% chance of runt/largest pup.
5 pup litter, 30% chance of runt/largest pup.
6 pup litter, 40% chance of runt/largest pup.
7 pup litter is the maximum size and the rarest, always including one pair of identical twins in the litter. Identical Twins also receive badges on their profiles like Largest Pups and Runts signifying their twin trait.
## Survivability

Survivability is the factor that determines whether a puppy will survive every rollover. Until they are weaned, the Survival Chance bar will increase or decrease depending on the status of the nursing mother. If the mother's mood & hunger are at 100%, the puppies will receive a +7% BOOST on the next rollover. If neither stats are at 100%, the puppies will receive a -8% to -15% PENALTY. If one stat is at 100% but the other isn't, there will be no change to the puppies' Survivability bar.

Puppies born during  **Winter** will be born with a *lower* Survivability Chance. Puppies born during  **Spring** will be born with a *higher* Survivability Chance. Puppies born during  **Summer** and  **Autumn** will not receive any change.

Weaned pups will continue to receive penalties and boosts depending on their own well-being.

All pups' Survivability can be significantly increased with protection from a  **Pupsitter**. A Pupsitter can be assigned to a puppy as soon as it is born.

Not protecting a puppy will warrant a warning at the top of the Den page, as well as an  **Unprotected** icon on their profile.

If a puppy's Survivability bar is anything below 100%, it can die on rollover without warning.

## Breeding Items

**Breeding Items** can be used before breeding attempts to guarantee certain effects.

Most items can be used on either one or both of the parents, however some can only be given to the male or female. When stacked between both parents, items of the same or similar purpose should use the mother's item, while the father's item will stay intact for the next breeding.