I’ve been counting down the days like everyone else, and I’m thrilled to share everything you need to know about the upcoming Build a Zoo Thanksgiving Update! As someone who’s been playing this game since its early days, I can tell you that seasonal updates are always the most exciting times to be a zoo owner, and this Thanksgiving event looks like it’s going to be something special.
The Build a Zoo Thanksgiving Update is the game’s latest seasonal event, bringing a warm, festive atmosphere to your zoo management experience. This update transforms your virtual zoo with autumn-themed decorations, special Thanksgiving pets, and exclusive quests that you won’t find during any other time of the year.
Based on the official announcements and my experience with previous seasonal updates, this Thanksgiving event will run from Friday, November 21, 2025, at 2:00 AM PST until December 12, 2025, giving us plenty of time to enjoy everything it has to offer.
Here’s when the Thanksgiving Update goes live in your region:
| Region | Local Release Time |
|---|---|
| United States (PST) | Friday, Nov 21 – 2:00 AM |
| United States (EST) | Friday, Nov 21 – 5:00 AM |
| Europe (CET) | Friday, Nov 21 – 11:00 AM |
| India (IST) | Friday, Nov 21 – 3:30 PM |
| Japan (JST) | Friday, Nov 21 – 7:00 PM |
| Australia (AEDT) | Friday, Nov 21 – 9:00 PM |
I’ll be honest – I wasn’t always a seasonal event player in Build a Zoo. When I first started, I focused mainly on building my zoo and collecting regular pets. But that all changed during last year’s Halloween event when I discovered just how much these limited-time updates add to the game.
There’s something incredibly satisfying about logging in during a seasonal event and seeing your zoo completely transformed. The Thanksgiving atmosphere, with its warm lighting and autumn colors, creates such a cozy vibe that makes me want to spend hours just hanging out in my virtual zoo. Plus, the exclusive pets you can get during these events? Absolutely worth the effort!
What really keeps me coming back is the sense of community during these events. Everyone’s working toward the same goals, sharing tips, and showing off their rare Thanksgiving-themed pets. It’s like being part of a big, festive zoo-keeping family!
Trust me, you don’t want to wait until the last minute to get ready for this update. Here’s my step-by-step guide to making sure you’re fully prepared when the Thanksgiving Update goes live:
I learned this the hard way during the Halloween event – nothing’s worse than getting a rare Thanksgiving pet egg and having no place to store it! Go through your inventory now and clear out any common pets or items you don’t need. I recommend keeping at least 10-15 empty slots ready for the new Thanksgiving items.
The Thanksgiving shop is going to have some exclusive items, and you’ll want to have plenty of coins and gems ready. I’ve been saving for weeks now, and I’ve got about 500,000 coins stored up. You don’t need that much, but having at least 100,000 coins will give you a good start.
Finish any ongoing quests or tasks before the update hits. You’ll want to focus entirely on the Thanksgiving content once it goes live, and having old tasks hanging around will just slow you down.
If you haven’t already, work on upgrading your conveyors to at least Epic level. Some of the best Thanksgiving content will be locked behind higher-level conveyors, and you don’t want to miss out because you’re still grinding upgrades.
I can’t stress this enough – join the Build a Zoo Discord server and follow the official Twitter account. Developers often drop hints about hidden content or special codes during events, and you’ll want to be in the know.
While we don’t have Thanksgiving-specific codes yet, here are the current working codes that you should redeem right away to get a head start:
Active Build a Zoo Codes (November 2025):
How to Redeem Codes:
I’ll be updating this section as soon as Thanksgiving-specific codes are released, so make sure to check back regularly!
Based on the official announcements and my experience with previous seasonal updates, here’s everything we can expect from the Thanksgiving Update:
This is what I’m most excited about! The update will introduce several new Thanksgiving-themed pets, including:
The update will feature a series of Thanksgiving-themed quests that will reward you with:
Get ready for some beautiful autumn weather! The update will introduce:
Your pets will need to feast too! The update adds:
I’ve been through several seasonal events in Build a Zoo, and I’ve learned some strategies that really help maximize your rewards. Here are my best tips:
Log in right when the update goes live (or as close as possible). The first few hours of any seasonal event are usually the best for:
When the event starts, prioritize activities that earn you the event currency (likely Corn Coins or Turkey Tokens). These will be your ticket to the best rewards in the Thanksgiving shop.
It’s tempting to try to do everything at once, but I’ve found it’s better to focus on one aspect of the event at a time. Spend a day focusing on quests, then a day on pet collecting, then a day on decorations.
If you have friends who play Build a Zoo, coordinate with them during the event. Some quests might be easier to complete with help, and you can share tips about the best strategies.
Unless there’s a must-have limited-time item, I recommend saving your premium currency (gems or diamonds) for the last week of the event. By then, you’ll know exactly what the best items are and can make informed spending decisions.
This might seem silly, but I love taking screenshots of my zoo during seasonal events. It’s fun to look back at how your zoo looked during different holidays, and you might even get some ideas for future decorations!
The update goes live on Friday, November 21, 2025, at 2:00 AM PST. Make sure to check the global time table above to find your local release time.
The event runs for three weeks, from November 21, 2025, until December 12, 2025. That gives you plenty of time to complete all the content and collect everything you want.
Most likely not. Based on previous seasonal events, the Thanksgiving pets will probably be exclusive to this event and won’t return until next year’s Thanksgiving update, if at all.
Absolutely not! While there may be some premium items available for purchase, all the core content – including quests, pets, and decorations – will be available to free players. You might need to grind a bit more, but you can still get everything without spending money.
Your decorations will stay in your zoo permanently, even after the event ends. However, you won’t be able to purchase new Thanksgiving-themed items once the event is over.
Almost certainly! The developers usually release event-specific codes during seasonal updates. I’ll be updating this article as soon as any Thanksgiving codes are announced.
Yes! The Thanksgiving content will be in addition to the regular game content, not instead of it. You can continue working on your regular zoo-building goals while participating in the event.
I’m genuinely excited about this Build a Zoo Thanksgiving Update, and I hope you are too! Seasonal events are what keep this game fresh and exciting, and the Thanksgiving theme is perfect for creating a warm, cozy atmosphere in your zoo.
Remember to prepare now by clearing inventory space and saving up currency, and don’t forget to check back here for updates on Thanksgiving-specific codes and strategies. I’ll be playing right alongside you when the update goes live, and I can’t wait to see all the amazing Thanksgiving zoos you create!
Have you been preparing for the Thanksgiving Update? What are you most excited about? Drop a comment below and let me know your strategies and expectations for this festive event!
