I was wondering, do you have any advice about how to stop a pyromaniac Ninetails from setting random things on fire to see how something burns? Things that have been set on fire: homework, cellphone, PokeDex, neighbor’s fence, and various other things. Like Ninetails makes sure that no one is hurt (somehow), but still this is getting out of hand.

At the risk of saying something rather insensitive, it depends on the gender of your ninetales and whether or not there are any pokémon that share its egg group in your area. Soon after evolution, male ninetales gain the tendency to set things on fire as a mating ritual. The hotter, more numerous, larger, or brilliant the fire, the more attractive the ninetales makes himself seem to potential mates, as a healthy fire is an indicator of the health of the ninetales. (This is true for all fire-types, but it’s especially true for ninetales, who use showy displays to highlight all their traits.) This behavior will carry on until the ninetales finds a suitable mate or succeeds in winning the mate he is already attempting to woo. Therefore, there are two solutions that could resolve this issue:

1. Figuring out whom ninetales is trying to win over and assisting in any way possible.
2. Neutering your ninetales.

It is worth it to note that neutering your ninetales may stop it from setting random fires, but it may cause it to set you on fire until it understands that the process is rather irreversible. Or until you find a suitable way to apologize. It is highly recommended that you purchase an abundance of your ninetales’ favorite types of toys and food before engaging in this solution.

If a female is engaging in this behavior, however, or if your male ninetales is not interested in mating (either because it does not wish to mate or because it is already neutered), it is very likely that your ninetales is simply bored and annoyed by the attention you or other people are affording these objects. If this is the case, purchase the aforementioned abundance of favorite types of toys and food and attempt to appease your ninetales. Should this fail, spend extra time each night brushing its fur. If this fails, procure a large bag of pokénip and try appeasing your ninetales with homemade pokéblock, puffs, or poffins made with a mix of pokénip and its favorite flavors. If that fails, switch your ninetales’ ball to a luxury, friend, premier, or ultra ball, all of which are proven to soothe the contained pokémon.

If you have gone through all of these options and nothing works, then you are at the mercy of your ninetales, and your only other option is meeting a trainer with a ninetales of the opposite gender facing a similar issue. This will very likely not result in a mating, but at the very least, it will distract both of your ninetales long enough for you to get peace.