Updated 23 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Turtles, Turtle Shells and Dolphins
Turtles live on beaches, breed with seagrass, and are the only source of turtle scutes, which drop when baby turtles grow up; scutes craft the turtle shell helmet, which gives 10 extra seconds of breath underwater. Dolphins swim in most oceans, give you a speed boost when you swim beside them, and lead you to shipwrecks or ocean ruins if you feed them raw fish.
How do turtles work?
Turtles spawn in small groups on the sand of beaches (not snowy beaches or stony shores). Each remembers the spot where it spawned as home. Breed two with seagrass, and the pregnant turtle swims all the way home to lay turtle eggs on sand. The eggs crack during random ticks and hatch after cracking 3 times. Zombies and their variants hunt turtle eggs and trample them.
How do you get turtle scutes?
Turtle scutes drop when a baby turtle grows into an adult; turtles are the only source. If you move eggs with Silk Touch before they hatch, the babies treat the new spot as their home beach.
What does the turtle shell helmet do?
Crafted from turtle scutes, the turtle shell is a helmet with the same armour points as iron, gold, copper and chainmail helmets but more durability. While you wear it you get Water Breathing for 10 extra seconds underwater, which refills the moment your head is back in air. Repair it in an anvil with scutes; each restores 25% of its durability. See armour.
How do dolphins help you?
- Sprint-swim within 9 blocks of a dolphin and you get a swimming speed boost for 5 seconds, kept up while you keep swimming near it.
- Feed a dolphin raw fish and it swims to the nearest shipwreck or ocean ruins; see shipwrecks and treasure.
- Hit one and the whole pod fights back.
- Dolphins need air: after about four minutes underwater they start to drown. They cannot be bred.
Dolphins spawn in pods between Y 50 and 64 in every ocean except frozen and cold ones (Bedrock also spawns them in cold oceans).
Does ArtemisPvP have an underwater area?
Frequently asked questions
How do you get turtle scutes?
They drop when a baby turtle grows up into an adult.
What does feeding a dolphin do?
Fed raw fish, it swims to the nearest shipwreck or ocean ruins.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.