Since the Zen Update dropped in Grow a Garden, the entire trading scene’s been flipped on its compost heap. We’re talking glowing orb events, Chi and Zen farming madness, and pets with value curves wilder than my sleep schedule. And of course, there’s the Kitsune, the one pet nobody’s trading unless you give them your soul, 3 raccoons, and maybe a kidney. If you’re trying to figure out who to keep, who to sell, and who to flex in marketplace chat, this tier list is your full cheat sheet, ranked by actual trade value, mutation utility, and how hard they slap in the current Tranquil/Ascended meta.
Best Pets Tier List & Trade Value (Updated)
Pet value isn’t just rarity anymore. The Zen Update changed everything.
- Mutation synergy is king (especially Tranquil + Dawnbound combos)
- Duplication, XP boost, or auto-farming passives matter more than cute sparkles
- Pet age and rarity are still factors, but they’re not the whole picture
- Alt farming is a real strat (and we’ll talk about it)
And yes — there’s now a math-based Zen farming method that’s gonna change how you look at points farming forever.
Here’s the full best Trade Value Tier List for pets in the Zen Update meta, broken down by tier, value, and real usefulness. If you’re trying to figure out who to keep, who to sell, and who to mutate, this is the section for you.
SS Tier – Endgame Value, Best of the Best
- Kitsune – The king. Ridiculously rare, currently worth 9–10 Raccoons or 2 random Ascendeds. Tranquil boost + pure flex factor. No one’s trading it unless they’re quitting. If someone offers one, double-check it’s not a scam.
- Ascended Pets – If it applies Dawnbound, it’s instantly SS. These still hold top value across nearly every trade server.
- Huge Butterfly – Depends on the “Huge” base, but Butterfly is top-tier. Worth 8+ Raccoons, especially mutated. Huge Bunny? Not so much. Sad.
S Tier – Meta-Relevant, High Demand
- Disco Bee –125x burst modifier. Still amazing, but overrated for some. If you already have a mutated Disco fruit, you don’t really need a DB — T-Rex can spread it garden-wide with time.
- Raccoon – Still royalty. Constant duplication. Players will throw the kitchen sink at you for one.
- Spinosaurus – Takes 3 mutations and applies them to your favorite plant. Super valuable if you’re optimizing a build.
S Tier pets are serious trade value — don’t let these go cheap.
A Tier – Strong Performers, Good in Most Builds
- Butterfly – Rainbow Mutation god. Turns regular fruits into 50x profits. Still essential, even if it consumes low-value mutations. Honestly could argue it for S-tier.
- Fennec Fox – Just… always popular. Trades like an Age 75 due to rarity and cuteness. More of a flex, but still good.
- T-Rex – Spread king. Dupes mutations (even rare ones like Dawnbound or Tranquil) and hits 3 targets. Slightly more useful for AFK setups than Spino. Honestly underrated — should be tied with Spino in value if I’m honest.
- Age 75 Pets – Still strong but easier to grind now. Good trades, but they’re no longer gods.
- Mimic Octopus – Copycat king. Use it with Butterfly, Raccoon, or Disco Bee for passive farming heaven. Still deserves A-tier.
- Dragonfly – Golden fruit = 20x value. Still relevant, especially pre-Tranquil.
These are your garden workhorses. Strong, consistent, and still tradable.
B Tier: Good Utility, Mid Trade Value
- Red Fox – People love it for the cuteness and trolling. Steals seeds. You’ll still get offers.
- Queen Bee – Applies Pollinated and resets cooldowns. Dropped a bit post-update.
- Zombie Chicken – Zombify mutation (25x fruit). Cool and useful in niche builds.
If you’re missing A-tiers, B-tiers can still carry your builds — just don’t overpay for them.
C Tier – Niche Utility, But Not Meta
- Dilophosaurus – Underrated XP build pet. Good if you’re stacking aged XP targets.
- Anglosaurus – Rare egg pull, but usefulness is meh.
- Kappa – New, shiny, and hard to hatch… but not worth much right now.
- Blood Owl – Surprisingly solid for XP/mutation boosting. Great if you’re aging pets or pushing to Age 75.
C Tier pets can work in niche setups — or if you’re desperate. But don’t expect big trades.
D Tier – Common, Outclassed, or Just Mid
- Bear Bee – Sprinkler hype died. Now just… there.
- Brontosaurus – Used to be rare. Not anymore.
- Cooked Owl – Everyone has one. Low demand.
- Moon Cat, Seal, Macaw, Toucan, Mole, Pterodactyl – Way too common or outclassed by better pets.
- Blood Kiwi – Almost usable again, but still not C-tier worthy.
- Regular Hedgehog, Moth, Night Owl, Ostrich – Okay pets, but nobody’s looking for them.
Rule of Thumb: If it’s common, slow, and doesn’t mutate or duplicate anything, don’t trade for it.
Zen Farming Math (Yes, There’s a Formula)
If you’re trying to get more Zen Eggs without going broke, try this strat:
- Use Bone Blossoms (7 points each) or Prismatic (6 points) during Tranquil events
- Save your Tranquil fruits till the event ends, then harvest
- Trade all Tranquils to your main
- Donate to the Zen Tree — each full tree = 1 Egg
Use alts to speed up:
- 1 account = 1 egg every 3 hrs
- 2 alts = 1 every 1.5 hrs
- 3 alts = 1 every 40 minutes
Equation: x = y^(2/3) (approx.)
Keep 30 Chi per alt so you can buy eggs when they appear in stock. This strat saves millions in shop refresh costs. Big win for F2P and grinders.
Wrap-Up: What to Trade, What to Keep
The Zen Update didn’t just add sparkle. It shook up the entire economy. Tranquil is the new hot mutation. Kitsune is untouchable. And the age-old question of T-Rex vs Spino is officially up for debate.
Use this list to:
- Build smarter teams
- Farm Chi and Zen efficiently
- Avoid overpaying for mid pets
- Find hidden-value picks like Dog or Blood Owl
And above all — don’t fall for trade scams. The marketplace is wild. Up next, wondering which plants actually pair best with all these crazy pet buffs? Check out my full guide on the Top 5 Plants for money in Grow a Garden (Zen Update), so you know exactly what to grow for big profits and pet + plant synergy, as well as new strats.
