pinkhairedgardie replied to your post “(hi, LH? I believe that’s the mod. I know the queue must be loaded,…”
(Greeeat… Yeah you’re right in the fact that Tumblr’s pretty lousy at times. Alright, I’ll try once more. It’ll be via submission, as it’s a bit of a long inquiry. Is that alright?)
Certainly! I’ll see to it that Bill handles your submission as soon as possible. Thank you for understanding, @pinkhairedgardie. —LH
Hmm. It seems that all of the asks Bill has yet to answer, queued or not, were sent by anonymous users. I do apologize, @pinkhairedgardie. If you can recall what the ask was about, please feel free to send it again.
We also apologize for the inadequacy of this blogging platform. Normally, we would use something far, far more reliable, such as a platform we’ve coded ourselves, but I’m afraid that it was my partner’s idea to get a Tumblr, because not only would this help him connect with our target userbase but also because he thoroughly enjoys memes, skitty videos, and questionably ironic “aesthetic” posts.
—LH
Chinchou
The Angler Pokémon
Type: Water/Electric
Official Registration #: 170
Entry: A small, anglerfish-like pokémon that lives in the depths of the ocean. Due to its habitat in the deepest, darkest parts of the ocean, chinchou rely on the light they emit from their dual antennae to attract prey and to communicate with other chinchou. They illuminate these antennae by channeling electrical energy through their wire-like stalks, straight to their bulbs. Given the fact that these pokémon are exclusively oceanic and given salt water’s tendency to conduct electricity, one would think that a pokémon generating enough electricity to illuminate two bulbs for extended periods of time would be extremely dangerous, but in actuality, this process only leaves a chinchou with a slight tingling sensation as a result. On the other hand, it electrocutes everything (except other chinchou) within a ten-foot radius of the chinchou in question, but at least the chinchou itself is fine.
Lanturn
The Light Pokémon
Type: Water/Electric
Official Registration #: 171
Entry: The evolved form of chinchou, by battle experience. Known for the brilliant light it emits from its antennae, lanturn is referred to colloquially as “the sea-star”—a reputation that is largely uncontested by the starmie it shares its habitat with, largely because starmie know exactly how weak to Discharges they are. Contrary to popular belief, lanturn do not produce their light—which is so bright that it can illuminate the surface even if the lanturn is three miles deep—from electrical currents. Instead, lanturn produce their light through chemical reactions between the bodily fluids and symbiotic bacteria contained within its antenna bulbs. This, of course, conserves electrical energy, which is of great benefit to lanturn in the event that a starmie would like to object to lanturn’s colloquial name.
Well, it’s certainly a good thing that your bulbasaur is used to pokémon that would naturally harm him. I have no doubt that his relationships between these pokémon will only continue to grow. Should you be worried at all that either of them would harm him, it’s thoughtful but not necessary. So long as your noibat and growlithe are in full control of their abilities (which they should be if they’re tame), they should pose no threat against the new addition to their family.
That having been said, as part-plants, remember that bulbasaur need warm, sunny places to lounge and clean water, just as any other plant pokémon does. He will also need at least six hours in direct sunlight to avoid wilting, so ensure you have a place by an eastern- or western-facing window for him to lounge. (However, it’s better if he can lounge outside as much as possible.) If you can, give him a flat stone to perch on. The warmth from the stone’s surface can be relaxing to the reptilian half of his body. Additionally, keep him warm during the winter months; never let him outside without his growlithe partner, as the cold can freeze his bulb.
Other than that, the reptilian part of his body eats insects or very small pieces of meat in addition to kibble. He can eat the same things as your growlithe, but be sure that they’re much smaller, as bulbasaur don’t have teeth quite as sharp as canine pokémon.
It’s also perfectly normal for your bulbasaur’s skin to be on the dry side, but if it appears cracked, that may be cause for concern. Look out for any signs of lethargy (refusing to eat or sun, for example) and take your bulbasaur to the nearest pokémon center if you see these signs in combination.
Beyond that, bulbasaur are among the easiest pokémon to take care of. That’s why they’re frequently given out as starters. (Or … sold to children by less reputable dealers, not to reference anything in particular.) So long as you give your bulbasaur a steady supply of sunlight, water, and food, your bulbasaur will generally be very happy. You don’t really need to give it many toys, either, although some bulbasaur trainers give it balloons, install hooks high on walls, or generally provide their bulbasaur with distractions that it can play with using its vines. However, given the fact that it has companions who would have toys of their own, your bulbasaur may be content enough to play with his companions. The only thing to keep in mind is that a happy bulbasaur may vocalize frequently, especially at night or when it’s close to evolution. It’s best that you let it. It should only be a cause of concern if your bulbasaur vocalizes too loudly (that is, loudly enough to disrupt neighbors) or not at all.
Also, be warned when it learns Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, or Poison Powder. While bulbasaur are conservative about spraying powders or spores (their go-to defense mechanism is Vine Whip, followed by Razor Leaf), they will use Sleep Powder if they feel easily excitable pokémon such as growlithe are getting too excited for their liking. Other than that, it may be best to watch out for Razor Leaf and Vine Whip as well, although in general, bulbasaur are very difficult to startle into using their attacks.
Best of luck, anonymous, and congratulations on your new bulbasaur!
Well, with regards to your neighbors’ yards, make it clear to your aggron that this is quite literally crossing a line. You may need to compromise with him by taking him to a forest and allowing him to engage in “renovations” there or by restricting him to your own back yard. Simply explaining to him that he may not enter a neighbor’s property should be sufficient. Aggron are more intelligent than most people think—at least to the point where one can understand a “no to this but yes to this.” Establishing literal boundaries can be a surprisingly simple task.
Beyond that, if your concern is that your aggron is planting trees in an area that may be susceptible to wildfire, have him dig a trench around the edge of your property and instruct him to plant trees as far away from that boundary as possible. This is the first step of the compromise: a physical boundary with a clear reason behind why it must exist. It will also help your aggron to understand the risks the drought is presenting to the trees it’s planting, which in turn will prepare him to defend his forest from a blaze. Teaching him Rain Dance or Water Pulse will further help him prepare (not to mention give him the means to take care of his forest himself).
That having been said, aggron rarely plant trees that cannot survive on their own, and they rarely plant trees that they themselves have no intention of caring for. (Note that aggron don’t generally display an interest in water beyond what they can incorporate into their moves, but if yours attempts to water their trees through a means other than either Rain Dance or Water Pulse, you may need to hide your garden hose and instruct your neighbors to do the same.) Once you establish what is and isn’t its territory, you can let it be, believe it or not. The trees it chooses will essentially take care of themselves and require no effort on your part, and should they die, your aggron will understand that the trees it’s chosen are ill-suited to the dry conditions it lives in. At that point, he may give up on his own. Alternatively, should the trees survive, they may actually provide excellent shade, which in turn may assist the local wildlife.
In short, the challenge is really in telling your aggron not to wander into other people’s yards. The trees themselves may not entirely be of any concern unless your aggron is actually stealing the ornamental trees from your neighbors. At which point apologize to your neighbors, return the tree, and consider investing in a stern psychic- or water-type to keep your aggron from doing that again.
It pains me to say this, anonymous, but from personal experience, it is very, very difficult to change people’s minds once one gains a certain reputation. If someone is adamant about their perceptions of others, it usually takes a significant amount of effort to make them think otherwise. This goes especially with pokémon. Most people are terrified of gyarados, even though trained gyarados are docile—sometimes even friendlier and more loyal than trained arcanine. Likewise, haxorus is a species known for its gentleness, yet people are terrified of it because it’s a fierce-looking dragon, even though Unova alone hosts at least one far more violent species.
The best that you can do is show others that your haxorus means no harm. Let her spend time with you outside her poké ball in public areas, such as that park. Keep her calm when others approach, and if someone acts aggressively towards her (either aggressively affectionate or simply aggressive), help her to remain stable through the encounter. Yes, you may be tempted to tell the human off for being too aggressive, but this may escalate the situation. If possible, try to explain why she needs space—because she is, after all, a pokémon—but be as polite and clear as possible when you do so.
When pokémon approach, have them make the first move. Train your haxorus to react more than initiate, but train her to assume relaxed stances when she wishes to interact with others. (For a haxorus, this means relaxed limbs, head bowed, and jaw loose but not open. The less tense your haxorus looks, the less she appears to be preparing for an attack.) Oversee the interaction, but allow your haxorus to show how gentle she actually is. If trainers see their pokémon interacting with yours without incident, they’ll be a little more open to her presence.
But most importantly, as her trainer, it’s important for you to initiate conversations with others. Have your haxorus present and by your side, and if your haxorus seems interested in another pokémon, approach the trainer yourself and explain to them that your haxorus is gentle and would like to interact with their team. Good trainers will either understand that a fierce-looking pokémon isn’t necessarily a violent one, or they’ll be more receptive to learning about this distinction. Trainers who aren’t entirely worth your time will be less likely to listen to you.
Either way, always reassure your haxorus that if you do encounter a not-so-open-minded trainer, it’s the trainer who’s in the wrong, not her. With some effort on her part to show her gentle side and some effort on yours to help her build connections with your community, there will eventually be pokémon who will accept her for who she is, and the opinions of those who refuse to see her for her gentle nature won’t be important. But the point is, never let those negative opinions hinder you from reaching out to the people who are more willing to accept you.
krokorokin replied to your post “Do pokemon enjoy being shown affection (such as petting, hugging,…”
Bill, we all know that that’s how you wanted to die. Stop hiding it.
On the contrary, I’d prefer to die peacefully, in my sleep, at an old age…
…snuggled to death by an entire pack of eevee.
You know. Same as everyone else.
pinkhairedgardie
replied to your post “Do pokemon enjoy being shown affection (such as petting, hugging,…”
Bill…what did you do to that Clefairy colony?
I walked within sight of them. Apparently, clefairy are highly timid pokémon on their own. In groups, however, that would be an entirely different matter.
Can you get a video of it? I’m interested in this phenomenon for research purposes.
Edit: I have just been informed by my editor that this would be “unethical” and that she knows that “all [I] want to do with it is be endlessly entertained by a chatot that swears like a Unovan sailor,” so allow me to answer this question properly.
That having been said, some people like to employ the use of scarecrows to ward off any kind of bird pokémon, so this may work for your visiting chatot as well. Your scarecrow can be a traditional one or any object (handmade or store bought) that resembles large, imposing predators.
Alternatively, hang large (but lightweight) or reflective objects in your trees. Make sure they’re capable of turning with the breeze, and set reflective objects up so that they shine light either into your garden or into any possible flight path of this chatot. The amount of movement both the objects themselves and the reflected light from the shiny ones can confuse chatot and make them think that something is prowling in the garden. This in turn will drive them to avoid landing, as they’ll consider it unsafe.
(As a note to the above, some gardening stores sell holographic bird pokémon tape or hanging disks for this express purpose. It’s cheap, lightweight, and virtually harmless to your trees. I would recommend the disks, as they’re less likely to blow away in higher winds.)
Sounds can be used to the same effect. Planting a speaker that plays glameow and purugly calls may drive your visitor away by making it think one is lurking about your garden. If you can’t afford an outdoor sound system just for this, hanging empty tin cans in your trees works just as well, as the loud rattling they make can annoy a chatot to its wit’s end.
Then there is, of course, removing anything the chatot may perch on. Coating artificial perches (sculptures, for example) with something slippery but environmentally friendly (such as cooking oil) can discourage this chatot from landing, as it won’t be able to get a good grip on the thing it wishes to rest on. Some gardeners also use bird spikes to discouraging perching. Despite their rather garish appearance, bird spikes are typically designed to be dull enough that should a bird pokémon attempt to land on them, they’ll only be made to feel uncomfortable, rather than stabbed repeatedly. Nonetheless, I’m personally hesitant to recommend these, as, well, they are literally spikes you use to discourage birds from landing in your garden.
Finally, should none of the above methods work, obtain a glameow or purugly (or even a staraptor) and train them to chase away the chatot whenever it comes close.
Alternatively, if all of the above methods fail—even the last one—catch the chatot and teach it something a little less inappropriate.
It actually depends on the pokémon, anonymous. Some are more open to affection (petting, hugging, kissing, and so forth), and others are not. Always be aware of a pokémon’s body language as you approach and engage with them. If they start to back away from you, do not attempt to shower them with affection. If they squirm and protest you touching them, do not continue to touch them. If they attempt to attack you at any point, back away and give them space. Meanwhile, if they stand still and allow you to touch them or if they come to you, then chances are good you may show them affection (although keep in mind that this may not be recommended for all species—such as skarmory, for example).
Moreover, be aware that certain forms of affection to some pokémon are not actually good ideas for other pokémon. For example, while hugging is perfectly fine for a humanoid pokémon such as a jynx, hugging a feline pokémon puts them on edge, as you’re essentially binding them and preventing them from defending yourself. If you shower your pokémon with affection, be sure to do it in ways that don’t make them feel trapped or threatened. Give them the ability to defend themselves, and they’ll be more at ease and receptive to affection.
And of course, never shower a wild pokémon with affection until you establish a rapport with them. No, not even if they come to you. If you’ve spent an abundance of time with them to the point where they trust you, then perhaps it’s fine. However, if you’ve just met them, and they come to you and look like they want affection, there is a very, very good chance that it’s a trap in which that pokémon is seconds away from executing Draining Kiss.
(Nothing is more rewarding than befriending an entire clefairy colony and getting them to hug you … but also, nothing is more humiliating than stumbling across an entire clefairy colony and having them respond by giving you forty Metronome-induced Draining Kisses at the same time.)
The Pokédex According to Bill 