The happy ghast is the friendly, rideable cousin of the Nether ghast, a big floating mount that can carry you and up to three friends through the sky. You cannot tame one in the wild, though. You have to grow it from a dried ghast, and this guide walks through every step, from the Nether to your first flight.
Everything here is confirmed in the current 2026 version of Minecraft (26.2).
Quick answer: mine a dried ghast block in the Nether’s soul sand valley, bring it to the Overworld, and place it in water to hydrate it into a ghastling. Feed the ghastling snowballs (or wait) until it grows into a happy ghast, then craft a harness, equip it, and ride.
Happy Ghast at a Glance
| Step | What you need |
|---|---|
| 1. Find | Dried ghast block (Nether, soul sand valley) |
| 2. Hydrate | Place it in/next to water to make a ghastling |
| 3. Grow | Feed snowballs, or wait, until it is a happy ghast |
| 4. Ride | A harness (leather + wool + glass) |
| Riders | Up to 4 players at once |
Step 1: Find a Dried Ghast
You do not find happy ghasts roaming around. They start as a dried ghast, a dark, dehydrated block that generates in the soul sand valley biome of the Nether, usually right next to the bone fossils that stick out down there. Break it (your bare hand works) and it drops itself.
If you cannot find one, you can craft a dried ghast instead: place 1 bone block in the center and surround it with 8 ghast tears (dropped by ghasts in the Nether). Either way, carry your dried ghast back to the Overworld.
Step 2: Hydrate It Into a Ghastling
Place the dried ghast in water (or right next to water). Over time it soaks up moisture, visibly changing through a few stages, and after a while it hatches into a ghastling, the baby form. This takes several minutes of real time, so be patient. The ghastling imprints on the nearest player when it appears and will follow you within about 16 blocks.
Step 3: Grow It Into a Happy Ghast
A ghastling grows up on its own after a while, but you can speed it along by feeding it snowballs. Keep feeding until it matures into a full happy ghast, a large, gentle, floating mob that is now ready to be equipped and ridden. Happy ghasts do not despawn, so it is a permanent companion once grown.
Step 4: Craft a Harness and Ride
To ride a happy ghast you need a harness, crafted like this:
- Top row: leather, leather, leather
- Middle row: glass, wool, glass
The wool color you use sets the harness color, so there are 16 variants to match your style. Use the harness on the happy ghast to equip it, then mount up.
To fly, just look where you want to go, the ghast follows your gaze up, down, and across. Crouch to stop and stand on top of it, which turns it into a moving platform, perfect for building floating bases without stacking scaffolding. A harnessed happy ghast carries up to four players at once, and if you hop off, hold a snowball to call it back over. You can also remove the harness with shears if you want to swap colors. For hauling animals along, pair it with a lead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mine a dried ghast block in the Nether’s soul sand valley, place it in water in the Overworld to turn it into a ghastling, then feed the ghastling snowballs until it grows into a happy ghast.
Dried ghasts generate in the soul sand valley biome of the Nether. Mine one with a pickaxe, and it drops itself so you can carry it home.
Place it in or beside water. It slowly soaks up moisture and eventually becomes a ghastling. It takes a few minutes, and the block visibly changes as it hydrates.
Feed the ghastling snowballs. That speeds its growth so you do not have to wait for it to mature naturally.
Craft a harness from leather, wool, and glass, use it on the happy ghast to equip it, then mount. Up to four players can ride one harnessed happy ghast.
Look in the direction you want to fly and it follows your gaze up, down, and around. Crouch to stop and stand on top of it, which turns it into a handy moving platform for building in the sky.
No. Once grown, a happy ghast is a permanent mob, so you will not lose your mount.
Growing a happy ghast takes a trip to the Nether and a little patience, but the payoff is a calm, four-seat flying mount that never despawns. Grab a dried ghast, give it water and snowballs, slap on a colorful harness, and the sky is yours.
