Tag: Dratini

Hey Bill, an acquaintance of mine found some wild Dratini fry(barely newborn) and caught one. I was wondering how ethical it was to catch newborn Pokémon, and I’m actually sort of worried for both the mother and the Dratini in question! She’s a decent trainer, but that doesn’t mean she’s qualified to raise a literal newborn Dratini. Help!

I know this might sound a bit repetitive, but I wouldn’t worry too much about it. If a very young trainerless pokémon as rare as dratini appears before a human, there are two possible reasons for it. First, it was abandoned or lost as an egg. If this is the case, then its chances of survival are actually incredibly low. Second, it’s not a hatchling but rather a juvenile, which in some species’ cases are difficult to distinguish. However, the difference is extremely important; juveniles can survive on their own, whereas hatchlings cannot.

The driving reason behind both of these things is actually the same: most pokémon nests aren’t easy to find precisely because of human involvement. That is, while we aren’t technically predators for pokémon, it’s true that we do remove them from their natural habitat. Pokémon by instinct will make their nests hidden, inaccessible, or both precisely to protect their young until they’re ready to go out into the world on their own. While young pokémon won’t necessarily die if they leave their nests, they’re still vastly inexperienced and may not be able to stand up to predators or other pokémon without the watchful eyes of their parents, so it’s extremely rare for a pokémon that young to be on its own, without anyone to help it develop its skills enough to battle.

With that having been said, dratini nests are especially difficult for humans to reach. Part of this has to do with the fact that dratini are so few in numbers (and thus aren’t as bold as magikarp, for an off-hand example), and the other part is that dratini fry aren’t particularly strong. Unless your friend dove deep into very remote lakes and fought her way past a swarm of protective dratini or dragonair (or perhaps even dragonite), it’s likely she simply happened across a pool of slightly older, more independent dratini. If that’s the case, then her dratini will be fine in her care.

However, if, perhaps, the dratini she had caught was indeed a fry, it’s actually safer in her care than out in the wild, as the nest was apparently too exposed to be safe. It’s also worrying if only one dratini, dragonair, or dragonite (whatever the mother might have been) was on guard, as dratini form colonies of many nests clustered together and guarded by multiple dragons. It may be a good idea to contact a local pokémon ranger or other authority to check on the nest and see if there’s anything wrong.

Hey LH, I’d like to ask: can you find pearls in Shellder/Cloyster as well as Clamperl? I ask because some divers i talk to swear they find pearls in the corpses of Shellder and CLoyster that died of natural causes, oddly in freshwater lakes, which i don’t buy for a minute. Also, I think i saw a Dratini in my local lake, and would like to befriend the little guy/gal. 1, how do i identify its sex? and 2 any tips on befriending them? If it IS a Dratini and not just a swimming ekans.

On shellder/cloyster pearls: Actually, yes! If any kind of sediment gets into a mollusk pokémon’s shell, it might create a pearl, even if the pokémon in question isn’t a clamperl. It’s just that shellder and cloyster pearls can sometimes be rarer because they’re more aggressive than clamperl, so the only way to get them is either by raising shellder to release their pearls if asked or by harvesting them from already-dead pokémon.

Also, it’s true that shellder and cloyster are normally found in salt water in most regions, but for some reason, Sinnohan shellder and cloyster can sometimes be found in fresh. So if you live in Sinnoh, those are pretty rare pokémon, but it’s not completely odd that the divers you know are finding them in freshwater ponds. If it’s anywhere else, though, that is a bit weird, yes.

On dratini: Well, like most serpentine pokémon, it’s difficult to tell at a glance, especially if you don’t have more than one specimen on hand to compare. But male serpents will normally have thicker tails that taper more dramatically than females. Or in other words, female serpents generally have thinner tails, and you don’t really notice the slope of the taper until the tail just sort of … ends.

When it comes to befriending them, start off by looking as nonthreatening as possible. Sit down if you can, and talk to the dratini in a calm, soothing manner to get its interest. Let it come to you and offer to play with it—again, in as calm and soothing a manner as you can. Dratini are highly intelligent, so they might get what you’re trying to ask them without you having to do much else. Use food and treats as a last resort; you don’t want to accidentally train this dratini to rely on people as a source of food. On the other hand, if you have a pokémon, maybe let your smallest and/or friendliest one out to show this dratini a potential playmate.

And if it’s a swimming ekans … back away from the body of water carefully but quickly.

How come dragonite look so different to their pre-evolutions? I know it’s not uncommon for pokemon to look different from their pre-evolutions, but dratini and dragonair look so similar…

True, but it’s nonetheless pretty normal for a pokémon line with high-cost evolutions. In dragonite’s case, it’s simply that dragonite represents the adult form of the line, whereas both dratini and dragonair are the larval stages.

Putting it another way, many lines whose stages look vastly different (remoraid and octillery, venonat and venomoth, magikarp and gyarados, and so forth) are often two-stage lines because the larval or basic stage can achieve the energy and power needed for evolution without much trouble. Dragonite needs an immense amount of power to evolve, so it needs to pass through an intermediary stage before it can reach its adult. Consequently, the evolution from dratini to dragonair uses a minimal amount of energy, which means it ends up strongly resembling its basic stage, rather than a cross between dratini and dragonite.

Why is pikachu classified as a mouse pokemon as opposed to rabbit with those ears? And why is RATtata a mouse pokemon too?? Who decides these names and why wouldn’t I be surprised if it was you?

When it comes to pikachu, actually, it does strongly resemble a mouse in both aesthetics (past its long ears) and behavior, especially when it comes to its habit of burrowing into walls and biting into the wires inside. Likewise, pikachu generally move about much like mice by scurrying instead of hopping, and they organize themselves into mouse-like nests instead of rabbit-like warrens. In every way, pikachu actually is a mouse-like pokémon; it’s just that its ears have evolved to be a bit longer due to their secondary function of detecting electricity in the air in conjunction with their tails.

As for rattata, that … is actually an excellent question, as they very clearly rats instead of mice. It could very well have to do with the larger raticate’s tendency to battle its own preevolution with incredible viciousness, much like how their mammalian counterparts often hunt and consume mice.

Either way, I assure you, highly qualified pokémonologists are responsible for giving each pokémon their names and official designations, and in any case, I was only responsible for dratini … which I named when I was eight. Just in case you were thinking of judging me for giving dratini a name that amounts to “mini dragon.”

I found a Dratini and a Spheal, both female, at a nearby lake. (I don’t know why a Spheal is down so far south, but she must be pretty resilient to the summer to still be here.) Both of them are friendly and we have been hanging out for two months. I recently asked them if they would like to be with me more, and they agreed and were caught. Any advice for raising them? Thanks!

The most important thing is to figure out their living situation, considering both are largely aquatic pokémon. This would be a bit more complicated due to the average spheal’s need for slightly colder waters than what a dratini can handle, except it seems your spheal is strangely acclimated to warmer temperatures. (It may be worth it to see if anyone had lost track of a dratini and a spheal by taking yours to a pokémon center, but given their eagerness to be with you, the answer to that question isn’t quite as important as it would normally be in situations like these.)

Thus, you only need one pool, but be sure to make it large enough to accommodate both a dragonair and both of spheal’s evolutions. Dragonite are not quite as reliant on water as its previous forms, so you don’t need to be concerned about space for one. However, walrein can get pretty large, and their space requirements can potentially get rather demanding, so be sure to place this pool outside if at all possible. I would also recommend keeping a close eye on your spheal as it evolves, as its temperature requirements can also shift, and dratini and dragonair—being members of an evolutionary family that isn’t quite as quick to evolve—may not be able to handle the temperatures walrein needs. If your walrein can handle warmer climates as your spheal can, however, perhaps this won’t be as much of a problem. Alternatively, if your spheal’s special ability is Thick Fat, then you won’t need to worry, as this is the likeliest explanation behind its ability to tolerate warmth.

That aside, once you figure out where they’ll be homed, be sure the pond or pool you construct for them is always supplied with fresh water. Also be sure to have a source of drinking water (such as a nearby water bottle), as pokémon should never drink the water they live in. This is, after all, where they will normally relieve themselves. On that note, also be sure to clean the pool or pond as often as possible—once a week at the absolute minimum. Install a filter system to take care of the days in between cleaning, and be sure to test the pH levels each time you clean.

As for food, both are carnivorous and feed primarily on fish. Don’t feed them canned tuna, as this can be too fatty for them. Instead, try to secure salmon or tilapia, but cod and bass will do just as well. If you absolutely cannot afford fish, you may be able to feed them with chicken, but by then, you might as well just give them kibble. For their spheal and dratini stages, food should be cubed, but as they evolve, they’ll gain the ability to handle whole fillets. If you’d like to give them treats, both can eat shrimp, and some people like to give their spheal squid or octopus if it’s available in their region. Additionally, dragonite become omnivorous and typically eat a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, and meat from land animals in addition to seafood.

When it comes to grooming, both will largely self-groom, especially thanks to their pool. Dratini will shed their skin now and then; simply provide a nice, flat rock for her to crawl onto and rub herself against during this process. Be warned that she may turn defensive towards her spheal friend for a few days during and after shedding. This is completely normal and comes as a result of the fact that pokémon that shed have softer skin that’s not quite as resistant to damage for those few days after their upper layer has been shed. It takes a few days for their new scales (or exoskeletons or what-have-you) to harden or toughen to the consistency the old layer had. This will typically happen four to six times a year for dratini, so if it’s been a couple of months since she last shed, you may wish to prepare (by informing your spheal and keeping her away from her friend for a bit).

In terms of entertainment, spheal enjoy anything that they can balance on their noses, particularly round objects. (Some behaviorists believe they also like round objects because spheal see themselves in them, so it’s much like playing with dolls for humans.) Supply your spheal with plenty of these, and she’ll be happy. Your dratini will likely play with anything you give your spheal; dratini aren’t particularly discerning when it comes to toys.

As for sleep, neither really need beds of their own, and because spheal are warm-blooded, you may not even need a pool heater for your dratini. It may be a worthwhile investment anyway, though, particularly for colder months, but if you do get one, be sure to test it out by observing how your spheal reacts to it. If the water is too warm for your spheal, simply provide a nest of blankets for your dratini to crawl into at nights or bring her inside and allow her to sleep in your bathtub.

Finally, training. Be warned that it may be tricky to train the two together, as dratini, until they evolve, rely largely on physical moves. This is a problem because your spheal’s mainstays are colder moves that could do serious harm to your dratini if she gets caught in them. Thus, it’s wise to train them separately and to use them for single battles, not doubles. Alternatively, use TMs and be extremely cautious when training your pokémon in tandem.

Best of luck, reader, and congratulations on your new pokémon!

Hey bill I’m an exclusive water type trainer and my boyfriends parents came to me about getting a starter for their daughter. Considering they live in sootopolis, Hoenn they figured a water type would be best. While I agree, I’m Not quite sure which of my Pokémon to breed for her. I have a starmie, Dewgong, dragonair, azumarill, Lapras, and milotic. What do you think?

I can tell you right now that lapras, feebas, and seel may be a bit difficult. While Hoenn is indeed a heavily aquatic region, much of the gym circuit takes you inland—up a volcano, no less. Even if your boyfriend’s sister plans on keeping her starter in its poké ball for much of her journey, the dryness of Mt. Chimney, Lavaridge, and the Hoennian desert may make it difficult for training pokémon not well-adapted to land.

Of the remaining three, dratini may be the most difficult to train. It doesn’t learn powerful moves right off the bat, and it’s slower to raise and evolve than the other two, even considering the fact that one of them can only evolve via exposure to a water stone. However, it is the most powerful option in the long-run, so it really comes down to how much patience your boyfriend’s sister is willing to exercise.

Meanwhile, staryu and marill (or azurill, depending on whether or not you plan on giving your azumarill sea incense before breeding it) are both perfectly fine choices. Both are fully capable of traveling on land, both are equally easy to raise, and both learn moves rather quickly (compared to dratini). Staryu may be a little more challenging to bond with because it’s not as expressive as marill, nor is it quite as affectionate, but on the other hand, marill’s secondary fairy typing instills in it a natural mischievousness that may be a challenge to a trainer who’s not quite expecting it. Additionally, marill may be easier to raise (and certainly easier to evolve), in part due to its ability to bond with its trainer and in part because its defensive capabilities make it more difficult to defeat, but on the other hand, staryu and starmie learn a wider variety of moves and have generally better offensive capabilities.

In the end, I would recommend either a marill or staryu, as those two may be the easiest for your boyfriend’s sister to train. Between the two of them, you would have to ask yourself if she would prefer a more defensive, more affectionate pokémon or a mysterious pokémon that’s a bit faster and can hit harder by default.

Of course, as always, be sure to ask the new trainer what she would like as well. She may even be willing to train a dratini if she has her heart set on something a bit more mystical.

But … try to steer her away from the idea of raising a seel, feebas, or lapras in the heart of the Hoennian mainland. Just … just trust me on that.

Hey Bill, I just recently caught a dratini and while it gets along fine with my pikachu, it is absolutely terrified of my sylveon! My pikachu and sylveon are pokemon I always have out with me and I’m not sure how to curb my dratinis fear! Help please!

In general, whenever one of your pokémon is terrified of another, it’s best to start slowly. It’s good that your pikachu and dratini get along well, as it may be the key to your dratini’s predicament. Have your pikachu mediate interactions between your dratini and sylveon. Whenever dratini shows any level of discomfort, have pikachu be there to ground it and reassure it that sylveon is a friend who would never hurt it.

Moreover, have them start with short interactions and work up to longer conversations. Think of it like exposure therapy to humans: you want to begin with only a little bit of exposure to avoid trauma, and as your dratini adjusts to that level of interaction, increase the amount of time it spends with your sylveon, bit by bit, until it can tolerate long-term exposure. Eventually, when your dratini can tolerate conversations with sylveon, begin having them fight alongside each other in double-battles to reinforce your dratini’s progress. If you’re not a trainer, have them perform tasks together around the house.

Also, be sure your sylveon is in agreement with whatever you do. That is to say, ensure that your sylveon hasn’t done anything to warrant dratini’s fear, and be absolutely sure sylveon wants to interact with your dratini. If your sylveon is just as uncomfortable with the idea of being on the same team as a dratini, this is something you’ll also need to resolve using similar gradual introduction methods as mentioned above. Your pikachu should be able to help as well. If, however, your sylveon is very eager to make a new friend, allow it to be involved in the efforts to calm dratini down. Ensure your sylveon takes things slow and avoids showing affection through touch at first. At the same time, be sure that your sylveon extends friendly, welcoming gestures—just from afar. As dratini begins to warm up to your sylveon, then your sylveon may show physical forms of affection, but it should still be careful and wary for any signs of discomfort from your dratini.

In other words, some relationships should start slowly and work up to a certain level of closeness, and that goes for pokémon too. Be cautious and careful, show your dratini that your sylveon won’t hurt it, and allow dratini to grow comfortable around your sylveon in its own time.

Best of luck, anonymous.

The Dratini Line

Dratini
The Dragon Pokémon
Type: Dragon
Official Registration #: 147
Entry: A mythical pokémon found only in the most remote lakes of temperate regions. Although the most commonly sighted dratini are only up to three feet in length, the pokédex correctly states that the average height of this pokémon is roughly five feet and that it continuously gets bigger as it ages. The discrepancy has a lot to do with this pokémon’s behavior in relation to its size. Calmer, larger dratini tend to sink to the bottom of their lake homes because they spend most of their energy on shedding, rather than forcing their bulk to rise to the surface. Meanwhile, smaller, more curious dratini spend less energy swimming to shore and have more of an inclination to do so due to their interest in the number of oddly-shaped, multicolored creatures that seem very intent on catching them, and long story short, the average height of the species is maintained by the sheer power of natural selection.

Dragonair
The Dragon Pokémon
Type: Dragon
Official Registration #: 148
Entry: The evolved form of dratini, by battle experience. All of the shedding and growth dratini does is for a reason: to generate the magical energy needed to form dragonair’s signature orbs. Each of these orbs carry enough mystical power that even a gentle pulse of magic from one of them can grant dragonair complete control over the weather at any given moment. This may seem like a rather liberal use of the word “magic” on a scientific blog, but to be fair, we live in a world where a three-foot-tall mouse can electrocute an elephant into submission.

Dragonite
The Dragon Pokémon
Type: Dragon/Flying
Official Registration #: 149
Entry: The evolved form of dragonair, by battle experience. As dragonair grows, it continues to develop both its magical abilities and its stores of mystical energy so that when it finally evolves into dragonite after years of training, it takes on an incredibly powerful form equipped with both potent physical and magical strength as well as the ability to fly at supersonic speeds. Likewise, dragonite have the ability to understand human speech, and it frequently displays a kindhearted nature, particularly towards individuals who are pure in heart. Legend also claims that it occasionally takes children to a faraway island inhabited almost exclusively by dragonite, where magic truly exists and an evil witch seeks to disrupt the peace of the happy dragonite kingdom.

…The writer apologizes, as he seems to have been reading the plot to a children’s film. Let me try this again.

Entry: The evolved form of dragonair, by battle experience. As dragonair grows, it continues to develop both its magical abilities and its stores of mystical energy so that when it finally evolves into dragonite after years of training, it takes on an incredibly powerful form equipped with both potent physical and magical strength as well as the ability to fly at supersonic speeds. Likewise, dragonite have the ability to understand human speech, and it frequently displays a kindhearted nature, particularly towards individuals who are pure in heart. Legend also claims that it occasionally takes children to a faraway island inhabited almost exclusively by dragonite, where magic truly exists and wealthy tourists seek to disrupt the peace of the happy dragonite kingdom.