Animal troughs are your key to befriending every wild creature in Heartopia. Place the right food at the right trough and watch friendship hearts grow. This guide covers all 8 trough locations, food effectiveness, and the optimal feeding strategy to reach Soulmate level.
Animal troughs are fixed feeding stations scattered across the Heartopia map. Each trough attracts specific species based on its biome. When you place food in a trough, nearby wild animals will come eat, and you earn friendship hearts with that species. Troughs are the primary way to build relationships with animals you cannot adopt as pets.
You unlock trough interaction at D.G. Level 4 when the General Store starts selling Basic Feed. As you level up, more food options become available through cooking and the Guild Shop.
| Location | Area | Animals | Cap. | Refill | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Town Square Fountain | Central Town | Cats, Small Birds | 3 | 6h | Easiest to access daily |
| Beach Pier | Beach | Penguins (Winter), Seagulls | 4 | 8h | Penguin hot spot in winter |
| Glacier Cove | Glacier | Penguins, Arctic Fox | 3 | 8h | Winter-only animals |
| Forest Clearing | Oak-Oak Forest | Rabbits, Deer, Oak-Oak | 5 | 6h | Highest capacity trough |
| Mountain Lookout | Mountain | Hawks, Mountain Goats | 3 | 10h | Slowest refill, rarest animals |
| Flower Meadow | Meadow | Butterflies, Hedgehogs | 4 | 6h | Spring/Summer best |
| River Bridge | River Area | Ducks, Otters | 3 | 6h | Year-round active |
| Farm Barn | Your Farm | Your Pets + Strays | 6 | 4h | Personal trough, fastest refill |
Not all food is equal. Matching the preferred food type to each animal species gives a 50% bonus to friendship hearts earned. Use this chart to plan your daily trough runs.
| Food | Source | Hearts | Duration | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Feed | General Store (50g) | +1 | Single use | Daily maintenance |
| Premium Feed | General Store (150g) | +2 | Single use | Speeding up friendship |
| Fresh Fish | Fishing | +2 | Single use | Penguins, Otters, Cats |
| Berries | Foraging | +1 | Single use | Small birds, Rabbits |
| Cooked Meat | Cooking | +3 | Single use | Dogs, Foxes, Hawks |
| Sweet Treats | Cooking (advanced) | +3 | Single use | Hedgehogs, Deer |
| Golden Feed | D.G. Guild Shop (5 medals) | +5 | Lasts 2 feedings | Any animal, best value |
| Seasonal Special | Event rewards | +4 | Single use | Seasonal animals only |
Every wild animal species has its own friendship meter. Fill troughs consistently and interact with animals to climb the five levels.
Wary (0-19 hearts)
Animal appears near your home occasionally
Curious (20-49 hearts)
Animal emote unlocked (wave/nod)
Friendly (50-99 hearts)
Animal follows you in its zone + decoration item
Bonded (100-149 hearts)
Unique animal furniture blueprint
Soulmate (150+ hearts)
Animal photo frame + title + can visit your home
Goal: Hit all 8 troughs in one efficient loop (~15 minutes of game time).
Estimated cost: ~350g/day using Basic + Premium Feed, or ~200g/day using foraged/cooked food.
Scenario: It is Day 1 of Winter. You want to reach Soulmate (150 hearts) with penguins before winter ends on Day 28.
Animal troughs are feeding stations placed around the map where you can leave food for wild animals. When animals eat from your trough, you gain friendship hearts with that species. There are 8 trough locations across different areas, each attracting different animals.
Troughs empty when animals eat and refill automatically after 4-10 hours depending on the location. The Farm Barn trough is fastest (4 hours), while the Mountain Lookout is slowest (10 hours). You can manually refill any trough immediately by placing food from your inventory.
Golden Feed (+5 hearts, lasts 2 feedings) from the D.G. Guild Shop is the best overall value. For free-to-play, Cooked Meat and Sweet Treats (+3 hearts each) crafted through cooking are the best farmable options. Match food preferences to the animal species for bonus hearts.
Yes, troughs work year-round, but the animals that visit them change with seasons. Penguins only appear at Beach Pier and Glacier Cove troughs during winter. Butterflies only visit the Flower Meadow trough in spring and summer. Check each trough description for seasonal details.
You get one free trough at your Farm Barn that you can place anywhere on your farm plot. Additional portable troughs can be crafted at the Carpenter Workshop for 20 wood + 10 stone + 5 iron. You can place up to 3 portable troughs on your farm. Map troughs are permanent and cannot be moved.
Three strategies: (1) Fill all 8 troughs daily with food matching each animal preference. (2) Use Golden Feed for +5 hearts per visit. (3) Pet/interact with animals directly after they eat from your trough for a bonus +1 heart. Consistent daily feeding is more efficient than occasional large amounts.
At Soulmate level (150+ hearts), you receive a unique animal photo frame for your home, a special title (e.g., "Penguin Whisperer"), and the animal will visit your home interior periodically as a decorative guest. Max friendship animals also have a golden name tag when you see them in the world.