It depends on the species, anonymous. Some of the smaller, more mammalian pokémon only lay one egg at a time, as do humanoid pokémon. (They can lay multiple, but this is rare.) Larger pokémon as well as reptiles, birds, and insects all lay clutches, and pokémon that are more inorganic in nature lay a varying amount of eggs, depending on how much material exists around them. For example, geodude can lay more eggs if it forms its nest underground, in rocky terrain. It lays fewer eggs if above ground and indoors.
In short, I suppose you could say the answer is, “Yes, they can have clutches, but not all of them do.”
Unfortunately, while there’s a strong chance that neutering your pokémon will calm him down and stem some of his more aggressive behaviors, it’s never a guarantee. There are certainly cases in which pokémon are just as aggressive about finding a partner after neutering as they are before, and yes, it’s technically normal behavior (in that you shouldn’t worry that anything is wrong with your leafeon).
On the positive side, neutering also prevents certain health problems in leafeon, besides the obvious fact that your leafeon can no longer produce offspring. That is to say, if he does get away, there will be less of a chance that he’ll come back to you with eevee pups or, well, something worse. At this point, I would recommend implementing some alternative ways to keep him at home, namely fences and a bit more rigorous training. Consider getting him a spayed female partner at home as well to encourage him to stay, rather than wander off and potentially quarrel with wild or neighboring males.
Of course they can ask nicely. It’s just that for an entire kingdom of species, “asking nicely” frequently means “showing off my incredible powers over the cosmos in a full-scale battle until your heart is defeated and won in battle.”
Given that pokémon do the same with friendship and personal growth and that humans fully encourage this, honestly, this shouldn’t be all that surprising.
It depends on whether you’re referring to a wild or a tame pokémon, anonymous. Wild pokémon typically choose mates based on suitability, which itself is actually a combination of factors, including hardiness, health, and physical attractiveness. Tame pokémon focus less on the first two factors and more on both physical and mental attraction (or, in other words, a combination of looks and personality, much in the same way humans choose their mates), largely because the need for a hardy mate is less important when a pokémon has someone to care for them.
Of course, beyond that, it also depends on the pokémon itself. For example, to psychic-types, intelligence or empathy may be seen as attractive traits, grass-types sometimes seek out the best-smelling mate, and male fighting-types, for reasons that are somewhat (but not entirely) beyond yours truly, are attracted most to females who can defeat them resoundingly in battle. And even then, what determines attractiveness to one member of a type may be different from the definitions held by all other members. For example, magikarp select mates who can propel themselves the highest while using Splash, which is something no other water-type looks for (seeing as Splash is otherwise not a particularly useful skill, generally speaking).
In short, yes, some pokémon can be attracted to a pretty face and not much else, but there are a wide variety of factors that go into what defines an ideal mate in each species.
And to you, @evetype, as well as to all of our bisexual followers. Although it’s quite late in the day for us, we hope that everyone has spent this day well, whether it was by reflecting on your own identity or by connecting with others in the LGBT community (online or off). The editor and I know that it’s difficult for all of you in the rest of the year, but you’re here! You exist! You are valid! And may you see change for the better—more acceptance, for one—by the next Visibility Day.
That having been said, to answer your question, I’d like to begin by saying gender and sexuality are complicated topics among pokémon. Certainly, we scientists classify pokémon as male, female, or gender indiscernible (or unknown, if you’re a trainer—which itself is different from the human concept of being nonbinary), but the human definitions of what gender and sexuality mean don’t exactly apply to pokémon. We don’t, for example, know for certain if transgenderism is a concept to pokémon at all. I say all of this as a disclaimer, as the rest of this post will be describing pokémon in those three unfortunately rigid categories of gender, even though that is not what it means to be bisexual as a human. In other words, I apologize in advance for sounding rather dated when speaking about pokémon.
That having been said, bisexuality is actually hugely common. In fact, most species on this planet that can mate also exhibit some level of bisexuality or even homosexuality among its members. (Interesting case: The mareep line are famous for their males. Ten percent of all male mareep are attracted exclusively to other males, and somewhere around twenty-two percent of male mareep are considered to be bisexual.) Even gender-exclusive species such as jynx are largely bisexual and not, as once thought, homosexual; they simply show attraction towards not only fellow jynx but other compatible species. For example, when placed in a room with a jynx and a hitmonchan, the jynx is just as likely to select the hitmonchan to be her mate as she is the other jynx.
In truth, in a way, pokémon are far wiser than humans because to them, the subject of sexuality is not a taboo at all. I know I’ve said a moment ago that pokémon don’t see sexuality the way we humans do, but it’s very true. While all pokémon (that can breed) clearly have preferences, these preferences can sometimes be fluid, and even then, pokémon never see any point in hiding what they prefer at any given time. They simply are, and this state of fluidity is rather normal for them. All of this is only a fairly recent discovery to humans because we have the unfortunate tendency to stick to our preconceived notions of what identity means to us while dismissing any definition that deviates from these notions. And of course, it probably doesn’t help that we conflate breeding with mating, and thus, we forget that what a pokémon will do in the wild (where it’s free to choose a partner) is entirely different from what it will do in captivity (where its options are far more limited).
Hopefully, that answers your question sufficiently enough, dear reader … unless this was a request for an entry, at which point, I apologize deeply for that as well. I suppose the short of it is any pokémon would fit this description short of perhaps voltorb, staryu, magnemite, porygon, or their evolutions—which is to say you share this world with fantastically powerful beings who are, in a way, just like you, readers.
At the risk of being somewhat unprofessional (and inciting the ire of my editor), in response to the act of breeding pokémon without knowing much about how to raise them:
I do hope you either intend on raising the other hatchlings or have already rehomed them to a certifiable no-kill pokémon shelter or to respectable homes, reader. If not, sorting that out is your first priority.
That having been said, many of the basics to raising baby pokémon are the same as raising adult pokémon. That is to say, eventually, you’ll need the proper types of food for your igglybuff and togepi, the proper spaces, the proper bedding, and even the proper waste disposal bins.
However, at first, they should be left with their parents for a few weeks. During this time, the parents will be the ones to feed the hatchlings, and many of the basic skills your togepi and igglybuff need to survive will be taught during this period. You’ll know when your togepi and igglybuff are ready for independent care when the parents spend less and less time away from the nests they’ve made for them. Give it another week and then approach the nest (to avoid being attacked by the parents).
As a note, if you’ve received these eggs from a breeder or otherwise do not have the parents on hand, allow one of your other pokémon to care for them. Most pokémon, as noted in an earlier ask, are instinctually equipped to take care of newborns, even if they’re not of the same species.
Once the hatchlings are ready for you, note that baby pokémon also need a lot more affection than their adult forms. Luckily, as igglybuff and togepi tend to be interested in the same things, this may be less of a challenge for you. Get plenty of soft, chewable toys, preferably ones that can hold their attention. Both igglybuff and togepi like dangling toys they can bat at, and igglybuff adores musical toys or toys that make sounds. (Togepi will play with these as well, but it doesn’t get quite as excited over them as igglybuff.) The only real challenge in keeping them engaged will likely be giving them equal amounts of affection. Some togepi can be quite possessive and will cry if not handled enough or if it believes you’re handling another pokémon more than it. The ability to multitask will be essential to you.
As for feeding, as mentioned above, the newborns will be fed by the parents (or caretakers). After that, togepi feed mostly on soft berries and foods at first. As they get older, they can consume things like vegetables, harder fruits, sprouts, beans, and occasionally eggs. (Obviously, do not feed your togepi eggs from its own line. Pidgey eggs, animal eggs, or any other eggs in general are fine.) Igglybuff are strictly herbivorous and should be fed leafy greens when not fed kibble. Contrary to popular belief, root vegetables should be treats, not mainstays, as the high sugar content may be harmful to it. Berries are fine to give on a daily basis, but limit your igglybuff’s intake to only one or two berries a day, also due to the high sugar content.
Regarding wastes, Togepi, which evolve into more bird-like species, will need a litter cage, or a birdcage-like apparatus lined at the bottom with shredded paper. (Always be sure to use uncoated paper. Never use magazine pages or the glossy, color pages of a newspaper. These may contain chemicals that will be harmful to your togepi.) You can save money and effort by buying cages specifically for togekiss. Many of these will also have the perches togetic and togekiss will need pre-installed, although customizable models are available. Change the bedding every day—twice daily for hatchlings who are still getting used to their cages. Finally, yes, you will have to train your togepi to use the cage at first. When you notice your togepi getting quiet and still, fidgeting, or actually in the act, immediately pick it up and place it in the cage. Do not yell at your togepi if it relieves itself on your floor; rather, tell it in a firm voice that this is not acceptable and let it watch you clean up its mess. Also, use positive reinforcement by rewarding it whenever it successfully uses its cage. Eventually, it will begin to figure out what the cage is for on its own.
Igglybuff, meanwhile, are like many fairies in that they use a litter box. Unlike its cousin, clefairy, you should not use cat litter to fill it. Rather, use hay or paper. The igglybuff line tends to inhale deeply shortly before eliminating wastes (as it uses the pressure of the air it traps to help evacuation), and cat litter tends to be easier to inhale. Simply place the litter box in a place your igglybuff can easily see and access, and it will figure out the rest. If you still have its jigglypuff or wigglytuff parents, have them teach it how to use the box. Be sure to change this daily as well.
As for bedding, both species typically enjoy small, soft pokémon beds, but at first, they may insist on sleeping with you. It’s fine to do this at first, but as they get older, you may need to train them to sleep in their own. Allowing them to continue to sleep with you may disrupt their ability to perform on the battlefield, as they will develop the tendency to seek you whenever they perceive that they’re in danger.
Finally, as noted earlier, baby pokémon require a lot more attention than their adult selves. Igglybuff generally engage in vocal exercises to develop their voices, which means they may use Sing at random. They also tend to bounce when bored or excited, and as their bodies are very soft and pliable, they can continue bouncing until they build up enough momentum to do actual property damage. Togepi, meanwhile, are far less likely to injure you, but they are highly curious pokémon that have a tendency to wander off on their own and place themselves in danger. It is of the utmost importance that you keep as much of an eye on both of them until they either evolve or outgrow these tendencies.
But if you can do all of this and survive largely intact, you’ll find that it will be easy to bond with your pokémon and fulfill the requirements they need to evolve.
Because for whatever reason, members of the ralts line seem to be more inclined to mate with balls of gas, possessed trees, and chandeliers than things that look human.
Most researchers try not to think about it too much, frankly.
Honestly, Bill. Between the both of us, you’re the behavioral researcher, yet you give that kind of explanation.
Anonymous, it’s because members of the ralts line don’t wish to mate with things that remind them of their trainers because to them, it carries oedipal implications. The reason why ralts feel the need to protect their trainers so strongly is because they consider their trainers part of their family, so in short, other human-like creatures, even those that vaguely look human such as lopunny and spinda, don’t appeal to them.
Also, yes, this implies that the egg group system is based entirely on a pokémon’s preferences, rather than its ability to interbreed, and … it is. If you attempt to breed pokémon, you’ll notice that “compatible” pokémon will be nearly inseparable, but those that won’t produce an egg stay as far away from each other as possible. On a level, yes, these preferences are also inherent in every pokémon, but in theory, it’s possible for a male ralts and a jynx to breed. They just don’t because, well, they won’t. —LH
Well, some part of it is up to the individual’s preference. While divorce is not a concept that exists among pokémon, capriciousness is.
On a serious note, absolutely, there are plenty of pokémon that mate for life. Many of the human-shaped ones do. The ralts line, for example, is well-known for it, although there are plenty of others, including the gothorita line, the mr. mime line, the machop line, the abra line (despite being fox-like as well), and so forth. Some dog-like pokémon such as the riolu line also do. Bird-like pokémon are also known for it, with some—such as swanna and members of the murkrow line—being symbols of monogomy for this exact reason. And of course, there are a few non-avian pokémon that are also monogamous, such as members of the deerling line, durant, finneon and lumineon, many rodent pokémon, and—of course—luvdisc.
Honestly, just about the only kinds of pokémon that are consistently not monogamous are the more “inanimate-like” pokémon, such as rock-like pokémon, genderless pokémon that can still mate, and a number of plant-like pokémon.
There are theories as to why this is, although there are scientists still undertaking research into that very subject. The prevailing theory is that the ovum contains all the information concerning an offspring’s species before fertilization, meaning all genetic data is donated by the mother alone, with any other information (such as inherited moves, shininess, genetic disorders, and so forth) being donated by either the father or both parents. This particular theory is favored because it’s also implicit in its support of cross-species breeding. As in, the reason why a wailord and a diglett can produce viable offspring is because the parts of the resulting hatchling’s genetic code that actually does get recombined from both parents’ gametes is technically compatible.
The less favorable theory is that species is determined by mitochondrial DNA, rather than nuclear. On the one hand, this might also explain why a pokémon’s change of species (that is to say, its evolution) is triggered by a boost in energy and radiation, as the organelle responsible for energy regulation would thus be the one responsible for encoding form and responding to the flags for form change. On the other, this is a far, far messier explanation, as mitochondria do not work like this in quite literally any other life form on Earth.
Genetic mutations, more or less. You see, anonymous, very occasionally, the process of combining genetics during breeding doesn’t quite work out as intended. Recessive genes here or there get triggered, resulting in the abnormal production of one pigment or another, thus producing an alternate colorization you know as “shiny.” It’s very similar, in fact, to albinism or the purple kecleon phenomenon.
The reason why it’s so rare, meanwhile, is in part because it’s all determined by recessive genes. In order to produce a shiny, you must first have two parents who have the “shiny” gene, and even then, the shiny egg requires a very precise combination of their genes. Otherwise, without that perfect combination, the dominant genes for colorization will be expressed instead, resulting in a rather normal-looking pokémon. This is, of course, oversimplifying genetics, but that’s the basic gist of it.
Besides the fact that shininess is determined by an extremely precise combination of genes, it’s also not an ideal state for a pokémon to be in. With some species, an unusually colored pelt may render a specimen incapable of camouflaging properly, which could either put the entire colony in danger by calling a predator’s attention or make hunting difficult by making the predator easier to spot. In other species, the alternate colorization may be linked to other defects, such as blindness or photosensitivity (or, in the case of plant-like pokémon, an inability to photosynthesize), all of which make life difficult for the individual, rather than the colony as a whole. In either case, some species, particularly those that form small colonies in extreme environments, may take to culling oddly colored hatchlings due to any of these reasons, which increases their rarity.
In other words, shininess is really only a trait valued among domestic pokémon. The reason why it’s so rare is because of the difficulty in breeding such a specimen and the unlikelihood of its survival in the wild.
The Pokédex According to Bill 