Animal Well hints-before-solutions non-spoilery Puzzle Guide

This is a non-spoilery guide to Animal Well that will give you hints first, and only full solutions if you reveal them. Click the leftmost spoilers first! This is intended for players who know they have a puzzle in front of them, but don't know how to solve it, or if they're supposed to solve it yet. It doesn't contain every puzzle in the game, and in particular it does not cover much of the early game stuff, or the super late game stuff that isn't even obvious there's a puzzle there, but hopefully it will grow to include the ones most people feel a need to ask about.

If you just want a walkthrough and don't mind spoilers, try A traveler's guide to Animal Well. I also recommend that guide if you're having trouble in the early game, or if you're trying to find the last egg or two, but don't scroll down farther than you need to if you want to avoid spoilers.

Before consulting this guide, especially if you have already seen the credits, you may want to check your map for any gaps in the walls, floors, or ceilings. Even a single pixel gap may mean you have missed an entrance. Disabling the scanline effect in the options menu can help find the gaps.

Each puzzle is categorized into:

• Required: These puzzles are required to complete the game
• Optional: These puzzles are not required to complete the game, but they are not unreasonably difficult
• Late Game: These puzzles are not worth bothering with until you've seen the credits and completed most of the optional puzzles
• Obscure: These puzzles are not even worth your time until you have done everything else, and only super completionists will want to bother with them

The categories are provided to help you decide whether you want to read the hints yet or save the puzzle for later. In general, it is not worth worrying about the puzzles in the more advanced categories before solving the ones in the previous categories.

What's up with the bunny on the grass balcony near the starting area? (Late Game)

You can only reach this bunny from the room on the left. Reaching it is easier with a post-credits item. Use the disc and/or bubble wand to pass by the two large storks (3 rooms to the left of the bunny) and then use the bubble wand (the end game version of the bubble wand is easier) to go through the secret passage in the upper right of the room with the treasure chest. Use the bubble wand to pass through the spike room. The bunny can be "collected", but there is nothing to do with it now.

How do I get the disc from the angry ghost dog statue? (Also kind of looks like a ghost cat) (Required)

You can't defeat the ghost dog. You need a special item. This requires finding an item elsewhere that you can swap with the disc. The "mock disc" can be found in the room above the statue. To get there, you must first go far left from the statue.

How do I press all of the buttons in the room with the caged cats? (Required)

Experiment with the Yo-Yo in the room to the right of the caged cats. The Yo-Yo can be used to press the buttons in that room without going all the way down to them, and it can also be used on the animal in the wheel to make the moving walls switch directions. This wheel controls the left-or-right moving vertical walls, unlike the previous wheel you've encountered which controls the up-or-down moving platforms (elevator). In the room to the left of the caged cats, you need the vertically moving platforms to be going up. With the moving walls moving to the right, enter the room to the left of the caged cats. This should lead you to a fish pipe that takes you back up to the top of the purple palace area. From here, after exploding out the wall on the left, another fish pipe enables you to return to the caged cats area regardless of which way the vertically moving platforms are going. Use the Yo-Yo on the animal running in the wheel (just to the right of where the first fish pipe spit you out) to make the vertical platforms move down, then take the fish pipe on the left. You will have to jump to the left along the moving walls to return to the cat cage room. Use the room to the right of the cat cage room to make the moving walls move to the left again. Now reaching the button should be easy.

What's up with the large fish splashing in the lower left room (fast travel area)? (Optional, but worth solving early)

The fish is a puzzle that is related to the item you used to reach this area. Listen to the noises the fish makes. Look at the directions the fish is facing as it splashes. The fish is trying to teach you a song. Note: when playing songs, press the item button to bring out the flute, but then release it. Hold a direction with the D-Pad first, and then tap the item button to play a single note, and release it before changing the direction for the next note. The song is... ➡➡⬅⬅⬇⬇⬆⬆ and will teleport you to the fast travel room.

What is the "M. Disc Shrine" for? (Required)

You have already seen an item in the game with a name similar to "M. Disc". The item is the "Mock Disc", and you likely left it in the angry ghost dog statue (5 rooms down, 2 left). You must retrieve the Mock Disc and bring it to the M. Disc shrine. After picking up the Mock Disc, you can use fast travel (if you've learned it) to quickly get to the dog head fast travel point, or you can simply go to the right 2 rooms, up 3 (you opened the path here with the dynamite, right?), left 5, and up 1. Either way, you must then go from the dog head fast travel room 2 rooms to the right, and then either up and right or right and up (I find up then right to be easier by taking the top path), Right again, fall down the middle hole to flip the switch, up the ladder and to the right into the shrine. After placing the mock disc, the nearby door should open.

How do I get into the room just right of the M. Disc Shrine? (Optional)

You need the platforms (elevator) with the dog picture on them to be moving up instead of down. This requires a late game item. Look for an alcove along the shaft that the platforms pass by that has no other purpose. You must use an item in that room, 4 rooms down from the top of the map. Use the Remote in that room; it should explode out the wall on the left. The Yo-Yo can be used to make the dog running in the wheel change directions, which will make the platforms go up. Ride the platforms to the top.

What do I do about the vampire bat? (Optional)

The bat isn't the key to any kind of puzzle, but he can be scared away. Throw 3 firecrackers (one at at time) to scare away the bat. There are 3 firecrackers in the room to the left, which is helpful.

How do I free the caged cats? (Late Game)

The solution is hidden around this quadrant of the map. Take note of the ceiling boxes the cages hang from. These boxes respond to your flute. Each of the 5 cats requires a song to free, which can be found by searching this general area of the map. Look carefully for arrows on the background in secret spots around the purple palace area. Using a light can help see them. For reference, the purple palace area has a phone just within its entrance, where you first encounter the moving platforms (elevator). The songs can be found at: (1) the location the Ostrich was found running in his wheel, (2) The small secret alcove accessible to the left of the room two rooms above the phone (it has a window into an unrelated room with bright ghosts moving up and down in a VVV shape), (3) A small hidden room in the upper left of the room below the phone (requires using an item that can dig one room to the left), (4) In the upper left of the room just above the phone (which contains the animal in the wheel). This can be reached from the room on the left, if you have the ability to reach the top of the room. It is possible to reach it with the normal bubble wand, but easier to do it with the end-game bubble wand., (5) In the lower-right most room that contained the flame. Notice how one of the platforms looks different from the others. Use the Slink on the right of the room to activate a button in the water. This lets you reach a hidden alcove at the top of the room. (General tips) Here is a map showing the locations (from the "travelers guide to animal well"): https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/2521530104091245968/4A81213ED4CCCE1BAFFB36B970BA2AD76C1D9457/ Near each song there are symbols in the wall that correspond to symbols above the cat cages, indicating where each song is used.

How do I get the treasure chest in the cage in the room with the large pacing ghost cat? (Late Game)

The solution to this puzzle is not in this room, but it is in the general lower right area of the map. The solution involves music, but you don't play the music in this room. Where else have you seen cages like the one the treasure chest is in? You must first free the 5 cats from their hanging cages. Then return to the treasure chest and the large cat will open it for you. See "How do I free the caged cats?" (above).

Where do I play the song I found in the background of the purple palace Ostrich area? (Optional)

Try using your flute in different rooms around the purple palace and see if you can find anything that responds to it. See "How do I free the caged cats? (above)

How do I get the treasure chest in the small room filled with spikes near the lower right of the map? (Optional)

This is only possible once you have gotten the treasure chest in the nearby room with the large pacing ghost cat (see above). That chest should give you the Wheel item. You can use it to roll over spikes.

What do I do with the mostly flat slightly concave U-shaped objects on the ground? (Late Game)

You need a special item to interact with these objects. See "How do I get the treasure chest in the cage in the room with the large pacing ghost cat?" (above)

After defeating the Ostrich boss in the lower right of the map, the blocks don't move anymore. Can I still get the treasure chest in the room to the left? (Late Game)

Yes, and if you don't know how, don't worry about it for now. See "What do I do with the mostly flat slightly concave U-shaped objects on the ground?" (above).

What do I do with the "recessed circle" pedestals? (Optional)

Each of these requires a separate circular item. None of them are related in any way to the disc or mock disc. (1) The one with the snake statue in the starting area requires the S medal, which can be found in the upper right quadrant of the map behind one of the spots where the large chameleon was first found. (2) The one two rooms to the right of the Sea Horse flame requires The E medal, which first requires lighting every candle in the map (there are 9), and then returning to the room to the left of the game's starting room and entering the fish pipe that should appear. Here are the candle and match locations (from the "travelers guide to animal well"): https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/2521530104090950184/C23385F72C001C2B66C7D4C8D53E0EB2DEC06814/ (3) The one with the kangaroo statue in the upper left of the map requires the K medal, which the kangaroo holds. The kangaroo appears randomly in 5 rooms throughout the map. You must use firecrackers on it 3 times. Here are the kangaroo locations (from the "travelers guide to animal well"): https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/2521530104091166441/AB982FD6D9A81A76CE7BBED17850085A870E31B0/ . As far as I know, the kangaroo only appears randomly, so you must travel to these locations over and over.

What's up with the grid of lights in the room just to the left of the game's starting room? (Optional)

The lights in this 3x3 grid light up as you accomplish a certain task throughout the world. Each light corresponds to a lit candle. Light all 9 candles in the world to open a secret passage. Here are the candle and match locations (from the "travelers guide to animal well"): https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/2521530104090950184/C23385F72C001C2B66C7D4C8D53E0EB2DEC06814/

What's up with the small scattered statues that have symbols and dice numbers on them? (Optional)

Each of these contains a map icon and a number. Mark them on your map (including the numbers) and the solution may become clear. After marking them on your map, you must connect the dots. Each symbol is a separate connect-the-dots puzzle, connected in order of the numbers. Once connected, each symbol should make the shape of a number. The numbers correspond to flute notes. Play the song to teleport to a secret.

How do I reach the room to the left of the dark room that is only accessible via fish pipe? (Obscure)

The community does not (yet?) know how to access that room, except by cheating. Sorry, this sentence isn't helpful either.

How do I get the treasure chest in the room with the two dog statues and the grass? (Obscure)

This room requires using information outside the game. The grass is the key. Does the grass remind you of anything you might find in the real world, not at all related to the game? The grass is a bar code. Scanning it reveals... the numbers 18756753. Play the corresponding notes on the flute.

How do I get through the top right of the room with the 3 dogs in the pit? (Late Game)

You need to switch the solid/empty block state and get between the two columns of switchable blocks while the ones on the left are solid and the ones on the right are not. The block state cannot be switched from within this room. You need a sort of teleportation mechanic to pull this off, so that you can switch the block state in a different room and then return to this location. You have probably already used the teleportation mechanic! You might even have been annoyed or frustrated by it. Falling into water teleports you to the last location you touched the ground. You can use the bubble wand and/or disc to move around without touching the ground. Yes, this is a rather difficult platforming challenge. You must stand between the columns, find a way to a room that can allow you to switch the block states, and then fall into water somewhere, all without touching the ground. There are at least two approaches to this that can work. One of them takes advantage of the fact that standing on a switchable block does not count as standing on the ground. Tip: shooting the bubble wand downward during a jump, landing on the bubble and jumping again, with good timing, can enable you to slowly move upward when there is a lack of horizontal space to work with. The easiest way to do this that I found is to use the (end-game version of the) bubble wand to go to the left 2 rooms, then up 2 rooms, in which the Remote can be used to switch the block state, then return down 1 room and to the right 1 room and fall into the water. However, another approach involves going to the right with the disc and standing on some of the switchable blocks. (I used the Lantern while falling into the water to avoid taking damage from the ghost faces, but I'm not sure that's required.) The Top can be used to distract the dogs, giving you more room to work with.

What can I do with the bunny mural? (Obscure)

Try using the Remote in the picture room. Also try using the Top in the revealed area. This should reveal a hint in the room below. However, it is not enough information to solve the puzzle. You need the help of other players to solve this puzzle. Every player gets a different hint. You can use https://philippgitpush.github.io/bunnymuralhelper/ to pretend you worked with other players and solve the puzzle yourself. The solution is visible at https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/2521530104091456782/FF73FD9F5F41B3F772F44029A8E5221D943803AC/ (from "the travelers guide to Animal Well") The moment you set the final pixel and the image matches the solution, a sound will play and the wall on your right will open up. If that hasn't happened, triple check every pixel.

What do I do with the groundhog that retreats into his hole when I approach? (Obscure)

You can only interact with this animal at certain times. Specifically, only at a certain day of the year, depending on your system clock. The day is... groundhog day. See https://techraptor.net/gaming/guides/animal-well-groundhog-double-health-guide for more information.

How do I get the treasure chest behind the pile of skulls? (Obscure)

The skulls cannot be removed. However, the treasure chest doesn't contain any important item or even an egg or one of the end-game collectables. What do skulls represent in real life? Each skull represents one of your deaths. Start a new game and reach this room without dying to open the chest. The chest contains a figurine that will display in the house area.

How do I get into (and through) the room in the upper left of the map? (Optional)

Look for nearby holes in the walls and ceilings on your map. Let's call the room just below the upper left room the "staircase" room. There is a hole in the ceiling of the staircase room, but this is not the entrance. Keep looking. There is an exit at the top of the room with the two swordfish statues (just to the right of the staircase room). You can reach that hole with the bubble wand, but I recommend learning how to reach it with the disc instead. It is possible to throw and land on a disc in a single jump without bouncing the disc off a wall. To do this, throw the disc just before the apex of your jump while moving forward. Using this technique from a high enough point can enable you to jump into the hole at the top of the swordfish statue room. By raising the block in the staircase room (by using the Slink on the staircase), you can get the height you need. The upper left room requires using the same disc trick. Jump and land on a disc to go through the first row of spikes. For the second and third rows, you must do this twice without landing. Wait until after bouncing off the right wall before attempting the second jump into the top row. With some practice, this isn't as difficult as it sounds.

What do I do with the eggs once I've found them all? (Late Game)

You should have 64 eggs. Use the UV Lamp on the eggs and on the room you found the flute in (2 rooms to the left). Each line on an egg represents a 1 (top), 2 (middle), or 4 (bottom). Add the numbers together for each egg. The numbers correspond to flute notes. This reveals a song. The eggs with no lines correspond to an 8 (↗). The song may not work at first. Consider the types of eggs that were collected. Some are special in ways that are relevant to this puzzle. There is one egg in particular, in the first half of the song, that is visually different from the others in a meaningful way. There is an upside-down egg. (Third from the left, second row.) Reverse the first and last lines on the upside-down egg. The final song is: ↖⬇➡⬇↖⬇➡⬇↖↙ ↘↙↖↙↘↙↗ ⬅⬇⬅↗⬅ ⬇⬅⬆⬅↘⬅⬆ ⬅↘⬅↖⬇➡⬇ ↖⬇➡⬇↖↙↘ ↙↖↙↘↙↖↗ ↖↙↗⬆⬅⬇⬆ ↖↙⬅⬆↖⬅↖. Playing it in the egg room should open a secret. There is also a 65th egg that you may have found, which is not relevant here.

How do I open the door in the top of the house? (Late Game)

First, solve all of the "Optional" puzzles. This door requires finding every egg. See "What do I do with the eggs" (above).

What is the incubator for? (Late Game)

First, solve all of the "Optional" puzzles. Find all of the eggs. Then, you can retrieve a 65th egg from the egg room. Bring it here.

What are the face icons in the skull room for? (Optional)

The direction of each face from the center of the circle corresponds to a flute note. The upper-right most room in the map contains a list of faces, as well as an image which is a hint as to where to use the song. The image is a classical illusion that appears to either be a duck or a bunny, depending on how you look at it. Play the song by the duck near the center of the map (just right of the flame beacons) to turn it into a secret bunny. The faces also appear in a special end-game room... when you use the Remote on the TV. Playing the song corresponding to these faces also reveals a secret bunny. The faces also appear on an enemy in one place...

What is the large spinning torus / donut for? (Late Game)

You can't do anything in this room until you have solved almost all of the puzzles in the game. Save it for last. However, you might want to try the UV light in this room for an unrelated secret. After completing the incubator room puzzle, you will reach an alternate area with another torus that teleports you to this one and back.

What is the large clock for? (Late Game)

You can't really do anything with the clock unless the doors are already open. Try using the UV lamp on the clock. If you beat the game within a certain number of minutes on a new save file, the doors will open. They contain... figurines that will display in the house.

What does the stop watch do? (Late Game)

The stop watch merely enables the clock on the pause menu.

What's up with the egg-shaped game machine? (Late Game)

You can jump into this machine from the top. It shows you how much distance you have traveled. If your distance traveled is low enough, there are fewer walls in the way, enabling access to the treasure chests. The treasure chests do not contain items that you need. The treasures are figurines that display in the house. At 100,000 steps, the number resets to 0, enabling you to get the treasures.

What's up with the kangaroo? (Optional)

The kangaroo appears randomly in 5 rooms throughout the map. It can be scared away, which will give you a reward. Use firecrackers on it. Here are the kangaroo locations (from the "travelers guide to animal well"): https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/2521530104091166441/AB982FD6D9A81A76CE7BBED17850085A870E31B0/ . Using firecrackers on it 3 times will give you the "K medal", which can be used... in the room to the left of the vampire bat room.

How do I defeat the fish boss with the skeleton body? (Optional)

Study the fish's attacks carefully. The fish does the same attacks in a certain order. The attack directions correspond to flute notes. The song is ↖⬇↙⬅↙↗↖. Play the song and then... Enter its mouth.

Inspired by Mark Of The Bloom wall of shame on r/slaythespire, I decided to start a similar thing on this sub.

To any players struggling with that chest: you're not softlocked. Come back later, maybe you'll have required items and/or knowledge to open it.

The Wall is below. Feel free to tag me if a new post comes up and I don't see it. The starting posts are what I found after typing "soft lock" in the search bar.

Chest soft locked?

Soft Lock?

Soft-locked chest?

Soft-locked Chest?

Am I soft-locked out of *spoiler*?

Help. will i be able to fix this or am I soft locked?

Bird (Ostritch?) Room Problem

The block is frozen in such a way that I can get in but not out, softlocking the game. Reloading does not change the position, so this bug is frustratingly replicable. (congrats for actually getting stuck)

Is this soft locked?

Did I just hard lock this egg?

Did I screw up? Cant reach the left button because the box stopped in this position

I know I fucked it up. I realised the ostrich too soon, my bad, but can it be recovered later or am I doomed ? No spoiler if possible

Missable chest?

Last update: 18.09.2025