Keratin harvesting
ResourceHarvesting

Keratin is obtained from creatures with shells, horns, or spikes in ARK: Survival Ascended. It's used as a substitute for Chitin in crafting cementing paste and saddles.
Keratin yield ranking
Average items per resource node or corpse at the selected settings.
Resource node · Corpse target
Range shows the approximate variation around each simulated average.
Node yields assume the recorded base harvest HP (e.g. 1000 for Redwood trees, 620 for Metal nodes). In-game, trees and rocks whose harvest health scales with their size have per-instance HP that varies with the node's size, so actual yields per node will vary. The values shown represent the average.
Where to find Keratin
4,061 harvestable nodes across 1 map · 10 node types1,065 nodes
Bones rib 2 Surface
- Aberration
919 nodes
Bones 3 Surface
- Aberration
808 nodes
Bones 2
- Aberration
381 nodes
Bones 2 Surface
- Aberration
328 nodes
Bones 3
- Aberration
286 nodes
Bones rib 3 Surface
- Aberration
105 nodes
Bones rib 2
- Aberration
88 nodes
Bones rib Modified 2
- Aberration
70 nodes
Bones rib 3
- Aberration
11 nodes
bonepile Copy
- Aberration
Best Tool for Keratin
80%Metal HatchetBestfrom Bone, Corpses
80%from Bone, Corpses
20%from Bone, Corpses
20%from Bone
Keratin harvest multipliers211 creature records. Comparison score = average items per node.
Tamed levels invested in Melee Damage. More melee = more resources per hit. Max 73 levels after taming.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best dino for Keratin in ARK: Survival Ascended?
The Spino is an effective Keratin harvester. The Baryonyx is another good option.