Minecraft Spring 2026 Update: Baby Mobs Redesign
Minecraft’s first update of 2026 brings adorable redesigns to baby mobs across the Overworld. Released as Snapshot 26.1 on January 6, 2026, this update introduces custom models and textures for eight different baby mobs, new sounds for wolf pups and kittens, and the long-awaited craftable name tags. The update is available for testing in Java Edition snapshots and Bedrock Edition previews.
This Spring-themed update follows the pattern established by the Spring to Life update from March 2025, focusing on enhanced detail and visual diversity in Minecraft’s animal population.
Interactive Baby Mob Explorer
Click on each mob to discover their new features
🐺 Wolf Pups
Wolf pups received the most extensive update with 9 distinct variants including pale, ashen, black, chestnut, rusty, snowy, spotted, striped, and woods wolves. Each variant features unique textures for tame and angry states.
New audio includes: ambient yips, growls, whines, pants, and unique step sounds that differentiate them from adult wolves.
🐱 Kittens
Kittens now feature 13 unique baby textures covering all cat breeds: all_black, black, british_shorthair, calico, jellie, persian, ragdoll, red, siamese, tabby, white, and baby ocelot variants.
New audio includes: mews, hisses, purrs, purreows, and unique begging sounds when hungry.
🐮 Calves
Baby cows now display regional variants with distinct textures for cold, temperate, and warm biomes. Mooshroom calves (both brown and red) also received custom baby models.
🐷 Piglets
Piglets feature three regional variants (cold, temperate, warm) with custom textures. Baby pigs also received completely new sound effects including unique ambient oinks, hurt sounds, and step audio.
Note: Saddles will no longer render on baby pigs in this update.
🐔 Baby Chickens
Baby chickens now come in three regional variants based on biome temperature: cold, temperate, and warm climates. Each variant has distinct plumage textures.
🐑 Lambs
Lambs received new custom models with separate textures for wool and bare skin, allowing for more detailed visual representation across all wool colors.
🐰 Rabbits
Both adult and baby rabbits underwent complete redesigns. Eight texture variants include black, brown, white, gold, salt, white_splotched, toast, and the killer rabbit (caerbannog). Rabbits now feature brand new animations for hopping and movement.
🐆 Baby Ocelots
Baby ocelots now have their own distinct texture separate from kittens, featuring the characteristic spotted pattern in a smaller, cuter form.
Craftable Name Tag Recipe
After years of waiting, name tags are finally craftable! Click ingredients to craft.
Previously, name tags could only be found in dungeon chests, fishing loot, or traded from librarian villagers. This update makes naming your pets significantly easier, joining the saddle as another formerly uncraftable item now available through crafting.
Spring Update Timeline
Introduced regional mob variants, enhanced biome diversity, and added the armadillo mob. This update focused on bringing more life and detail to the Overworld, setting the foundation for future animal updates. Learn more about recent gaming developments.
First features from Spring 2026 update become available for testing, including redesigned baby mobs, craftable name tags, and new mob sounds. Full release expected in March 2026.
Complete update rollout anticipated based on previous Spring update patterns. Additional features may be announced before official release. Stay updated on major 2026 gaming releases.
Technical Changes & Specifications
The RAM and garbage collection changes aim to reduce stuttering and provide more stable framerates, especially during memory-intensive operations. Players with less than 4GB of system RAM should refer to Minecraft’s official help documentation for optimization guidance. For more gaming tech updates, check out recent crossover announcements.
Minecraft Snapshot 26.1 introduces redesigned baby mobs with custom models, textures, and sounds for wolves, cats, pigs, cows, chickens, sheep, rabbits, and ocelots. The update includes craftable name tags using paper and metal nuggets, plus technical improvements like increased default RAM allocation and ZGC garbage collection.
Players can test these features in Java Edition snapshots and Bedrock Edition previews ahead of the expected March 2026 full release. The update builds on Minecraft’s Spring to Life update from 2025, continuing to enhance visual diversity and detail in the Overworld.
For complete technical documentation and download instructions, visit the official Minecraft Snapshot 26.1 announcement. For more upcoming game releases, explore February 2026 gaming launches.