i recently came into the possession of three baby pokemon: an igglybuff, togepi, and hapinny. will they make good playmates with each other or should i separate them? what kind of toys should i be giving them? all they do right now is sleep and eat.

Actually, certain baby pokémon do better when placed in groups, rather than separated, even if that group consists of various species. This is especially true with pokémon either known for bringing happiness (happiny) or that evolve via levels of happiness (igglybuff and togepi). This is because socialization helps them develop a healthy mental state and allows them to form the bonds that eventually lead to the development of their abilities or to their evolution, respectively. Likewise, none of those pokémon are particularly discerning when it comes to their companionship (or at least, not generally speaking), so quarrels between any of them are unlikely.

So to answer your first question, absolutely, those three will make excellent playmates.

To answer your second question, believe it or not, the same sorts of toys you would give a human baby often work well for these pokémon. Soft toys, durable plastic toys, and anything that lights up and makes music are all excellent choices—especially the latter if you’d like something that will ensure they’ll stay in one place when you take your eyes off them for a moment. Never give them anything that can fit in their mouths and be swallowed, especially igglybuff (as it will attempt to chew anything). It’s also a good idea to give your happiny a round, smooth stone the shape of a chansey egg (but slightly smaller, so she can carry it), as happiny take comfort from carrying one of these around. Yes, it’s a good idea even if you don’t wish to evolve your happiny right away. Don’t worry—the round stone isn’t happiny’s only evolutionary requirement. Also, keep a stock of these stones on hand, and make sure they’re as close to identical as you can get them. Your happiny may lose her stone often, and it’s worth it to have a replacement ready.

Best of luck, anonymous, and congratulations on the new litter!

When my igglybuff gets upset with me or another Pokémon she huffs and floats to the ceiling and puts herself in time out… why does she do this? Is she just an oddball?

Not at all, anonymous! Members of the jigglypuff line often inflate themselves when they’re upset. Igglybuff just happen to be light enough to lift themselves off the ground, although lighter jigglypuff can as well. So long as she’s indoors and away from ceiling fans, uncovered vents, or fireplaces with uncapped chimneys, she should fine. Just wait an hour or so for her to calm down and deflate on her own and catch her in a bug catching net if she wanders too far.

i have spent years breeding the perfect igglybuff and togepi. finally ive done it. now that i have them, i realise i have no idea how to raise them correctly, which is different than train them, cause i have that down in spades. what should i do?

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:

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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.

Good luck!

The Jigglypuff Line

Igglybuff
The Balloon Pokémon
Type: Normal/Fairy
Official Registration #: 174
Entry: Igglybuff are known for their soft, pliable bodies that have a tendency to bounce continuously if made to roll. At this point, the writer would like to note that the field of pokémonology is both a fascinating and strange place, and the experiments that are implied to have been undertaken in order to find this out about igglybuff should be evidence of that fact.

Jigglypuff
The Balloon Pokémon
Type: Normal/Fairy
Official Registration #: 39
Entry: The evolved form of igglybuff, as a result of a heightened sense of happiness. According to the latest update of the pokédex, a jigglypuff’s vocal cords allow it to adjust the wavelengths of its lullabies to generate the precise tunes that would make their opponents the drowsiest. This theory, of course, conveniently does not take into consideration the possibility of multiple targets. Although that seems like a minor issue for anyone who is not a researcher, this became a bit of a problem during the Hoennian Jigglypuff Population Explosion of 2014, wherein hundreds of trainers relying on the pokédex found themselves waking up in fields a day later with jigglypuff pictograms scrawled across their faces with whatever writing implements they happened to unfortunately be carrying at the time.

Wigglytuff
The Balloon Pokémon
Type: Normal/Fairy
Official Registration #: 40
Entry: The evolved form of jigglypuff, by exposure to moon stone. Wigglytuff is a three-foot-tall rabbit-like pokémon with pink, velvety fur; large, watery eyes; a rubbery body that it inflates when threatened; and a singing voice known for lulling even the most hardcore night owls to sleep. Interestingly enough, this list of traits has made wigglytuff a popular pokémon among at least twelve different subcultures on the internet. Not that this writer would know anything about those kinds of subcultures.