Summary
Stardew Valley’s 1.6 update introduced a multitude of new features to explore,including additional festivals, expanded villager dialogue, and new pet options. Players can now choose from five different species of cat or dog for their first pet, and even adopt more once they’ve reached maximum friendship points with their original pet.
For 40,000g each, players can adopt additional cats or dogsfromMarnie’s Ranch, along with two varieties of turtles - one priced at 60,000g and the other at 500,000g. Once players reach maximum friendship with each pet individually, the animals will begin leaving gifts for them, with each species offering a unique set of items. This list categorizes the best of those gifted items, based on their usefulness and selling price.
10Ancient Doll
An Artifact That Can Be Used In A Secret Event
TheAncient Dollis an artifact that can be donated toStardew Valley’s museum, and it is typically found in either artifact spots or in anArtifact Trove. However, unlike other artifacts,this item unlocks a secret.
If a player drops an Ancient Doll into the Lava Pool on the 100th floor of the mines, they will receive a secret Terraria-themed item, which can be used tocraft a level 4 swordin the Wizard’s basement. An Ancient Doll can also be given as a loved gift toJasor as a liked gift toPennyand theDwarf, proving its versatility.
9Rainbow Shell
A Good Item For Quests And Gifting
Given by turtles, theRainbow Shellhasmultiple uses and a good selling price, making it a great gift to receive. One of its uses is to complete the second step ofMr. Qi’s “The Mysterious Qi” quest, which requires players to place one Rainbow Shell in the train platform box to advance the quest and eventually gain access to the Casino in the Calico Desert.
It is also a liked gift for all villagers aside fromElliottandHarveyand can be used as blue dye inEmily’s sewing machine. Furthermore, since the 1.6.4 update, Rainbow Shells can be placed in fish tanks as decoration.
8Snail
Useful For Recipes, Gifting, And Community Center Bundles
TheSnailis classed as a fish inStardew Valleyas it can be acquired from aCrab Potin fresh water. Beyond its initial use in theEscargotrecipe, it can also be usedas part of the Crab Pot Bundlein the Community Center.
Moreover, Snail is one ofVincent’s loved gifts and can be used to fulfill boththe first and sixth Raccoon requestsin Cindersap Forest. There is also a chance that either aBullheadorLargemouth Bassfish pond may request a Snail in order to increase its population.
7Lobster
A Loved Gift And Quest Item
Like the Snail, theLobsteris part of the Crab Pot Bundle in the Community Center and can be obtained from crab pots, but only in seawater. Compared to some other pet gifts, Lobster has amuch higher chance of appearing.
It can be used in Fall Year 2 as part ofGus' “Wanted: Lobster” quest and isessential in achieving perfectionas it is required in the Lobster Bisque cooking recipe. Furthermore, it is one ofElliott’s loved gifts.
6Seafoam Pudding
Great For Catching Difficult Fish
The recipe forSeafoam Puddingis unlocked at level 9 fishing, meaning it typically takes a while to get this food item. When eaten, Seafoam Pudding grants players a +4 boost to their fishing stat for 3 minutes and 30 seconds,helping with difficult-to-catch fishsuch as the Legendary Fish.
The dish can also be used in aSewing Machineas a blue dye when customizing clothing items. With a good selling price and great buffs, Seafoam Pudding proves to be a very useful gift from pets, helping with game progression significantly.
5Artifact Trove
Gain Up To 5,000g
Players can open theArtifact TroveatClint’s shop for 25g.Each item inside has a 3.6% chance of appearing, with some rewards being far more valuable than others. Rewards include anAncient Drumand aBone Flute, which both constitute a reward when donated to the Valley’s museum.
The most useful items from the Artifact Trove include anAncient Seedand theTreasure Appraisal Guide. In terms of profitability, theTreasure Chest(worth 5,000g) and thePearl(worth 2,500) are the most lucrative rewards.
4Sturgeon
Place In A Fish Pond For Sturgeon Roe
When placed in a fish pond,Sturgeoncan produce SturgeonRoe, which can then be turned intoCaviarwhen placed inside aPreserves Jar. Caviar is one of the items required to complete The Missing Bundle once the Community Center has been repaired. Players who have chosen the Joja route can greatly benefit from this too, as Caviar sells for 500g, or 700g with the Artisan profession, providing a significant income boost for the community upgrades provided byMorris.
Furthermore, Sturgeon is one ofWilly’s loved gifts and is part ofthe Lake Fish Bundlein the Community Center. Like the Rainbow Shell and Seafoam Pudding, it can also be used as a blue dye in aSewing Machine.
3Cheese
Hugely Versatile And Profitable
Cheesecan be gifted to all villagers apart fromSebastian,Jas,Vincent, andHarveyas a liked gift and can be used as part of the Artisan Bundle in the Community Center. The recipes forCheese Cauliflower,Pizza, andPepper Poppersall require one cheese to be cooked, making it an essential item for perfection.
When aged in the Farmhouse basement for 14 in-game days, Cheese reaches iridium quality,doubling its value from 230g to 460g, or 644g with the Artisan profession. However,its most fun useis definitely putting it through theSewing Machineto create a mouse shirt.
2Dinosaur Egg
Hatch For More Dino Eggs
TheDinosaur Eggis a rare artifact that can beplaced in the incubatorinside the Deluxe Coop to hatch aDinosaur. This is perhaps the most beneficial use initially, as once the Dinosaur is mature, it produces a Dinosaur Egg every 7 in-game days.
Other uses include donating it to the museum, turning it intoDinosaur Mayonnaiseto contribute to The Missing Bundle, or running it through aSewing Machineto make aDinosaur Hat. As a gift from pets, the Dinosaur Egg is one of the best,as it is both renewable and highly valuable.
1Rabbit’s Foot
A Universally Loved Item
Rabbit’s Footis a universally loved item by all villagers, exceptPenny. It can be used as part of the Enchanter’s Bundle in the Community Center and to create a Rabbit Shirt in theSewing Machine.
In Secret Note #20, players are required to give a Rabbit’s Foot to the Joja delivery driver to receive a reward ofpermanently increased luck. Its luck does not stop there, though; if a Rabbit’s Foot is in a player’s inventory, it prevents the negative effects of the famous group 10-heart event, where players face consequences for making all Bachelors or Bachelorettes their partner. With itshigh selling price, multiple uses, and significant impact on luck, the Rabbit’s Foot tops the list as the best gift to receive from pets inStardew Valley.
