There are several pets Shepard can purchase in Mass Effect 2, including many varieties of fish and an adorable space hamster, but none are quite like the varren who adopts the commander while the squad visits the Urdnot encampment on Tuchanka. In the Mass Effect trilogy, varren are a kind of alien creature comparable to large dogs. They tend to accompany krogan and batarian enemies. The creatures are often hostile toward Shepard and their team. However, while visiting Tuchanka for Grunt's and Mordin's Loyalty missions, the squad will come across a more docile, affectionate varren named Urz.

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The squad will find Urz at Ratch's Wares, one of the vendors on Tuchanka. If Shepard chooses to be friendly to Urz and goes out of their way to get him some food, he will become loyal to the commander and follow the squad around the Urdnot camp. Shepard can even enter Urz in fighting matches and place a wager on him to earn some extra credits. To get Urz, Shepard will need to help Ratch kill a few pyjacks before they can deplete Clan Urdnot's food stores. Here's how to feed Urz, the varren on Tuchanka, and get him to follow Shepard in Mass Effect 2.

How to Get Pyjack Meat to Feed Urz in Mass Effect 2

Urz follows Shepard and her squad to see the Urdnot Shaman in Mass Effect 2

When Shepard first reaches the krogan domain of Tuchanka in Mass Effect 2, they will enter the camp of Clan Urdnot. If they turn left from the entrance, they will encounter Ratch, a krogan vendor selling a few weapons and armor upgrades. Shepard should talk to Ratch, who will inform them of the pyjack problem Clan Urdnot faces. Pyjacks are vermin on Tuchanka, and they frequently steal food. Shepard should offer to help Ratch kill a few pyjacks.

Urz will be sitting beside Ratch and will be more well-behaved than the other varren Shepard encounters on Tuchanka. Shepard can approach and pet Urz. The varren will react happily to the affection, almost like a puppy.

Down the ramp from Ratch's wares, past the varren fighting pit, and to the left of the truck, Shepard can find a krogan scout manning a large gun and using it to shoot pyjacks. Shepard can take one of the guns and begin an arcade-style mini-game to defeat some of the vermin before they make it to the food stores.

Grunt looks over his shoulder in Mass Effect.

Players will need to move the beam to aim the gun, then follow the onscreen prompt to shoot pyjacks. Pyjacks will crawl out from tunnels and run toward the screen in three rounds, with each round containing more pyjacks. Players do not necessarily need to catch the pyjack in the targeting beam to manage to shoot and kill it. They can often take out several at once with a well-placed shot near all the creatures. It is important to note that the gun fires first from the left, then from the right, alternating with each new shot, and there may be an obstacle on one side obstructing a shot. If five total pyjacks across all three rounds make it past the krogan defenses, it's game over.

Once Shepard manages to beat the mini-game, Ratch will have a new item in stock at his kiosk: Pyjack Meat. The item does not cost any credits. Shepard should purchase it, then feed it to Urz. This will make Urz loyal to Shepard and cause him to follow the squad around the Urdnot encampment every time they visit. Unfortunately, he cannot be taken aboard the Normandy in Mass Effect 2 and does not feature in any other game, though there is a popular Mass Effect 3 mod that places him in the Normandy's Shuttle Bay instead of the former crew member's FENRIS mech.

Urz was a former champion pit fighter, so Shepard can enter him in pit fights and bet 500 credits on (or against) him. He has a greater chance of winning than the other varren and can easily earn Shepard a few extra credits to fund frequent purchases of probes or fuel. However, it is not guaranteed Urz will win, and he can be hurt in a fight if Shepard tries to press their luck.

Next: Mass Effect Timeline: All Major Events, Explained

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition launches May 14, 2021 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, with forward compatibility for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.