I heard that the Bulbasaur population is bouncing back in Kanto! That’s great! I love the little guys!

It is, in part thanks to more aggressive anti-poaching practices in the region. Remember, everyone: if you must obtain a bulbasaur from a person, be sure to do so only from a certified breeder, shelter, or pokémon professor.

That having been said, I quite agree with you on the subject of bulbasaur, but perhaps I’m a little biased. Other than eevee, I maintain that bulbasaur is the best starter, and anyone who disagrees would be welcome to meet the fully evolved starter with the best disposition I’ve ever met.

Bill, your venusaur is that well-behaved because it’s unconscious for half the day and eating for the other half. —LH

Resting, Lanette. He’s just resting. It’s not easy being a guard pokémon. —Bill

Considering you live in a remote corner of Kanto? I’m sure it isn’t. —LH

Kanto Starters I: Bulbasaur

bills-pokedex:

@psychms: I just noticed you haven’t written about any of the regional starters! Can you tell us about your most memorable experience with a starter Pokémon (or its evolutions)?

Ah, keen observation! Starters are a bit special to a researcher, as we tend to associate them with new beginnings while maintaining our status as a ridiculously sentimental breed of people. In particular, I must say I’m closest to the Kantonian starters, in part because I consider one of my home regions to be Kanto and in part because, despite beginning my journey in Johto, my starter was a bulbasaur. While I could go on and on about the bulbasaur line, I hardly think it would be appropriate to only cover it and not the other two families. Thus, consider this to be part one of a three-part series.

Bulbasaur
The Seed Pokémon
Type: Grass/Poison
Official Registration #: 1
Entry: One of three pokémon traditionally offered to new trainers at the beginning of their journeys in Kanto. Many people believe that out of the three, bulbasaur is the easiest to raise, as bulbasaur are more docile than the other two, the species’ offensive and defensive traits are balanced, and a grass-type has more of an advantage against the earliest Kantonian gyms than a fire- or water-type. However, while all of this is true, such advice frequently forgets any word on what to do when you have a pokémon that learns Leech Seed, Stun Spore, Poison Powder, and Sleep Powder all basically at the same time. On that note, should you be a new trainer who finds himself with a rambunctious bulbasaur who enjoys showering you with “affection,” be sure to carry full heals. A lot of full heals. Do not buy anything but full heals until your bulbasaur evolves. You will thank me later.

Ivysaur
The Seed Pokémon
Type: Grass/Poison
Official Registration #: 2
Entry: The evolved form of bulbasaur, by battle experience. As it nears evolution into a venusaur, an ivysaur’s blossom grows larger and more fragrant to the point where it naturally emits a sweet, spicy fragrance strong enough to be detected from a distance. Thus, an ivysaur is the easiest among the three middle-evolution starters to evolve, not only because the weight of the bulb makes each ivysaur more eager to battle (in order to gain the strength needed to support its own flower) but also because the scent emitting from the blossom happens to be the exact kind of aroma that draws pokémon towards one in droves. That said, while ivysaur are still among the easiest pokémon to train, new and mediocre trainers should be warned that preventing an ivysaur from battling is nearly impossible and that many of your days may be spent being dragged through Viridian Forest by a charging ivysaur chased by a horde of beedrill.

Venusaur
The Seed Pokémon
Type: Grass/Poison
Official Registration #: 3
Entry: The evolved form of ivysaur, by battle experience. A venusaur’s evolution is among the most beautiful to occur within the pokémon world. When the time comes, an ivysaur will seek the sunniest clearing in a forest, crouch within beams of sunlight, and allow its flower to grow and bloom. Petal by petal will open, and its fragrance will become more intense and aromatic. The power of this sight and the soothing nature of its signature perfume will rejuvenate an observing trainer just as much as the venusaur experiencing it, which is worth it to note as a warning to both. While you may be tempted to run forward and embrace your long-time pokémon partner in a rush of mutual pride and elation, note that your venusaur has gone from being 29 pounds to over 220 and that it will use all 220 to affectionately tackle you before realizing that it is no longer the size and weight of a large dog.

Mega Venusaur
The Seed Pokémon
Type: Grass/Poison
Official Registration #: 3+
Entry: The advanced form of venusaur, via venusaurite. Important safety tip for people who train venusaur: everything about venusaur becomes more powerful when it’s mega evolved. This includes its defensive capabilities, the destructive power of its distance attacks, the potency of its pollen, the calming effects of its spicy floral scent, and most importantly, the damage it can do to the human body if you’ve failed to teach your venusaur that it is no longer the size and weight of a large dog. Use your venusaurite with caution, preferably after you get it to forget how to use Tackle.

i have a bulbasaur who when she hears music dances with vines, leaves, and the coloring of sweet scent. shes very talented, and this has been noticed by several talent scouts (a video of her went viral recently and now people keep showing up at my home and trying to contact me) well shes very shy and these scouts arent taking no for an answer, and its terrifying my sweet bulbababy! what can i do to prevent these scouts from trying to invade my home?

Contrary to popular belief, the police forces of most regions are actually somewhat competent, and a restraining order is actually quite easy to get. I would suggest utilizing either if the talent scouts in question attempt any home invasions.

Alternatively, you could do what my mother often did when I was a child: use another pokémon to remove them yourself.

So I have s bulbasaur named Terry who is in his toddler stage, and he has some separation anxiety. Whenever I walk into a room Terry’s with me, whenever I go anywhere, he’s with me. Well today my boyfriend and I were trying to be -ahem- intimate and we locked the door and Terry was trying really hard to get in to the point he broke the door handle with his vines. I’m not really sure what to do about this, help??

These tip should be effective at resolving your, ah, issue, anonymous: http://bills-pokedex.tumblr.com/search/separation

Of course, it’s important to be patient while training your bulbasaur (according to the tips above). He is still a child, but with enough patience and care, you should be able to make the experience of being weaned off your constant presence a little less traumatic.

Best of luck!

What was your starter?

Bulbasaur, actually! The circumstances in which I’d acquired a bulbasaur in Goldenrod City of all places were quite unusual, I admit, but I don’t regret it at all. If it wasn’t for that bulbasaur’s help, I doubt I would have done any of the things I’d achieved during my time as a trainer, from catching an abra to, well, realizing that I wanted to be a researcher instead. (Have you ever seen a venusaur bloom? I highly recommend it—it’s quite an incredible experience!)

I recently adopted a Very young swablu that was rescued from an awful and abusive owner, and she has awful anxiety. So I had my bulbasaur use his sweet scent and just all around wonderful personality to help her become more used to me and my Pokémon. Well she’s bonded with my bulbasaur, but refuses to leave his side and becomes defensive when my houndoom and togekiss get near them, going as far as to peck them! No accidents involving serious injury yet, but what do I do to help her and my team?

As with all instances in which one pokémon has trouble integrating with their team, it’s important to ensure that you have all the information about what’s going on correct. That is to say, it’s worth observing your team for just a bit longer to see if your swablu’s behavior is definitely because of her anxiety and not due to some other issue that may need to be resolved (such as some level of hostility or disinterest from your togekiss or houndoom).

If this issue is indeed caused by swablu’s nervousness, start slowly. Try to keep your togekiss and houndoom away from your swablu at first. Use their poké balls if you have to, but the important thing is, if at all possible, try to avoid exposing your swablu to the both of them at the same time, especially at times when you can’t keep an eye on them.

Now, for your first step, I would recommend introducing your swablu to togekiss first, as togekiss in general have nurturing dispositions and an innate urge to make others happy. To set up the introduction, have your bulbasaur stand by swablu and use Sweet Scent to keep her calm. Explain to your swablu what’s about to happen and who your togekiss is to both you and your bulbasaur. (That is to say, emphasize that your togekiss is a friend.) Take a few steps back, enough to ensure that there’s plenty of space between you and your pokémon, and release your togekiss next to you, rather than between yourself and your swablu. Do not have your togekiss block your swablu’s view of you.

If your togekiss knows Heal Bell, now would be a good time to use it. I know that sounds odd, but the soothing tones of Heal Bell can possibly calm and entrance your swablu, even if she doesn’t suffer from any specific ailment. If your togekiss doesn’t know Heal Bell, don’t worry. This is just a helpful tip, not something that’s absolutely vital to bridging the gap between your swablu and togekiss.

From there, as with most instances in which one of your team members is terrified of another, begin with short, simple interactions, perhaps led by your bulbasaur. Have your bulbasaur interact with your togekiss first. Let him converse with your togekiss and then draw your swablu into the conversation naturally. Allow your togekiss and swablu to have a short conversation with each other, then end the session by withdrawing your togekiss back into its ball to show your swablu that you have the ability to ensure that none of your pokémon hurt her. If at any point, she attempts to attack your togekiss anyway, have your bulbasaur calm her down with Sweet Scent or by using a gentle Vine Whip to hold her back (by wrapping her, not hitting her).

Once your swablu is able to handle short, friendly conversations with your togekiss on her own, give your togekiss more time to interact with her. Additionally, at the start of each session, work your way closer and closer to your swablu until you’re able to release your togekiss within beak’s reach of her. If she isn’t startled by your togekiss’s presence then, graduate to using the two of them side-by-side in double battles or sparring sessions to reinforce the bond between them.

Due to houndoom’s rougher nature, it’s unwise to introduce it to your swablu until after she’s absolutely comfortable with your togekiss. Once she reaches that point, perform the exact same steps with your houndoom, only have your togekiss be present for the introduction as well. Thus, place your togekiss and bulbasaur next to your swablu, give yourself enough space, release your houndoom next to you, and begin by having either your bulbasaur or your togekiss (or both) interact with your houndoom. There’s a good chance that your swablu, at this point, will recognize this process and understand on some level that you’re attempting to introduce her to a friend, but don’t assume that having her interact with houndoom will be any easier. Take it slow and let your swablu tell you when she’s comfortable enough to proceed to the next step.

In other words, the most important thing here is that your houndoom and your togekiss are parts of her team now, and team dynamics are vital, both on and off the battlefield. They may even be vital to your swablu’s ability to heal from her past. Thus, there is likely no way around introducing her to the rest of her team, but with enough patience and time, you may be able to coax her to connect with your other pokémon.

I recently caught a Bulbasaur. He gets along pretty well with my Growlithe and Noibat. Any tips for raising him??

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!

Kanto Starters I: Bulbasaur

@psychms: I just noticed you haven’t written about any of the regional starters! Can you tell us about your most memorable experience with a starter Pokémon (or its evolutions)?

Ah, keen observation! Starters are a bit special to a researcher, as we tend to associate them with new beginnings while maintaining our status as a ridiculously sentimental breed of people. In particular, I must say I’m closest to the Kantonian starters, in part because I consider one of my home regions to be Kanto and in part because, despite beginning my journey in Johto, my starter was a bulbasaur. While I could go on and on about the bulbasaur line, I hardly think it would be appropriate to only cover it and not the other two families. Thus, consider this to be part one of a three-part series.

Bulbasaur
The Seed Pokémon
Type: Grass/Poison
Official Registration #: 1
Entry: One of three pokémon traditionally offered to new trainers at the beginning of their journeys in Kanto. Many people believe that out of the three, bulbasaur is the easiest to raise, as bulbasaur are more docile than the other two, the species’ offensive and defensive traits are balanced, and a grass-type has more of an advantage against the earliest Kantonian gyms than a fire- or water-type. However, while all of this is true, such advice frequently forgets any word on what to do when you have a pokémon that learns Leech Seed, Stun Spore, Poison Powder, and Sleep Powder all basically at the same time. On that note, should you be a new trainer who finds himself with a rambunctious bulbasaur who enjoys showering you with “affection,” be sure to carry full heals. A lot of full heals. Do not buy anything but full heals until your bulbasaur evolves. You will thank me later.

Ivysaur
The Seed Pokémon
Type: Grass/Poison
Official Registration #: 2
Entry: The evolved form of bulbasaur, by battle experience. As it nears evolution into a venusaur, an ivysaur’s blossom grows larger and more fragrant to the point where it naturally emits a sweet, spicy fragrance strong enough to be detected from a distance. Thus, an ivysaur is the easiest among the three middle-evolution starters to evolve, not only because the weight of the bulb makes each ivysaur more eager to battle (in order to gain the strength needed to support its own flower) but also because the scent emitting from the blossom happens to be the exact kind of aroma that draws pokémon towards one in droves. That said, while ivysaur are still among the easiest pokémon to train, new and mediocre trainers should be warned that preventing an ivysaur from battling is nearly impossible and that many of your days may be spent being dragged through Viridian Forest by a charging ivysaur chased by a horde of beedrill.

Venusaur
The Seed Pokémon
Type: Grass/Poison
Official Registration #: 3
Entry: The evolved form of ivysaur, by battle experience. A venusaur’s evolution is among the most beautiful to occur within the pokémon world. When the time comes, an ivysaur will seek the sunniest clearing in a forest, crouch within beams of sunlight, and allow its flower to grow and bloom. Petal by petal will open, and its fragrance will become more intense and aromatic. The power of this sight and the soothing nature of its signature perfume will rejuvenate an observing trainer just as much as the venusaur experiencing it, which is worth it to note as a warning to both. While you may be tempted to run forward and embrace your long-time pokémon partner in a rush of mutual pride and elation, note that your venusaur has gone from being 29 pounds to over 220 and that it will use all 220 to affectionately tackle you before realizing that it is no longer the size and weight of a large dog.