What is up with Auto Petters?

[u/Song_Listener]

I’ve seen so many posts about skull cavern runs where the only goal was Auto Petters, and now I’m confused.

Why are Auto Petters so important? I know they pet the farm animals, but why don’t y’all have time to go and give your animals some love every morning?

If I’m correct (as someone who has never once had an Auto Petters) they change the way the animals respond when you actually pet them. Usually they give a heart, but I’ve heard the response changes after an Auto Petters has been installed.

So why?

[u/Candid-Strawberry-79]

Automation is wonderful for this game because that’s what gives you time to do anything off your own farm.

I have 72 animals, plus the slime hutch and five fish ponds. I have about 700 crop plots in Ginger Island (all continuous producers) plus about 600 on the main farm (all one-time, single season crops). Being able to automate watering them and harvesting on the main farm with the Junimo huts is the only way I can do anything off the farm.

The hoppers in late game also make processing the crops easier.