Dear Bill, My birthday was a few days ago, and my family, in their ever present lack of communication, got me a Rowlet, a Piplup, and a Torchic, along with a SNivy, Turtwig, and Treeko. Do i need to worry about the Avian starters picking fights with each other? and what of my Grass Reptilians? Also, any Care tips you can suggest for them? and are there any concerns i should watch for in their Later Stages? I’d rather avoid issues BEFORE i need to take a ‘Mon to the Pokemon Center ER.

This is … quite an ask, I must admit. So to begin, I’m afraid I can’t offer care tips for six vastly different pokémon in a small amount of space, so I’ll simply offer this as a general tip: read up on each pokémon species to get hints about their basic needs. For example, treecko is a tropical insectivore, so it will need a moist environment and a largely insect-based diet. While you could possibly double up on habitats or diets for like pokémon, it’s also worth it to be aware that two pokémon, as alike as they may be, might actually have different needs. (Turtwig is an herbivore, and snivy needs larger prey, like feeder mice.)

If you’re out on the road and these are meant to be your starters for a journey, it might be easier to care for all of them (that’s what kibble and general care facilities at pokémon centers are for), but if you live at home, a team this diverse might be difficult unless you have a lot of space and money. If it is difficult, consider leaving a few at a shelter or rehoming them. This goes especially if you plan on evolving them, as their needs—not only for space but also basics—will increase exponentially. It’s not impossible to house six fully evolved starters if you’re not a trainer, but it’s difficult. And, well. Expensive.

As for your avian pokémon fighting one another, most bird-like species are actually highly social, so it’s more likely that they’ll form a flock (and perhaps try to rope in some of the reptiles while they’re at it), especially once they understand they’re part of the same team. The others, meanwhile … generally, you shouldn’t have a problem because in most cases, starters are bred to be amicable with other pokémon, but keep an eye on that treecko and snivy.

Best of luck!

The Treecko Line

bills-pokedex:

Treecko
The Wood Gecko Pokémon
Type: Grass
Official Registration #: 252
Entry: One of three pokémon traditionally offered to new trainers at the beginning of their journeys in Hoenn. This small gecko pokémon is famous for its calm disposition, which makes it an ideal partner for a beginning trainer. It is said that absolutely nothing shakes it, not even the rage of a forest fire. This, of course, is not entirely true. The calm demeanor it displays at all times actually hides abject panic and other extreme forms of emotion … which, given the fact that trainers routinely and happily face danger on a daily basis without so much as a frown, still makes treecko an ideal partner for a beginning trainer.

Grovyle
The Wood Gecko Pokémon
Type: Grass
Official Registration #: 253
Entry: The evolved form of treecko, by battle experience. Grovyle is noted for its nimbleness. Well-adapted to its native jungle environments, it can skitter up trees and jump from branch to branch with an unrivaled swiftness, making it difficult for pursuers to keep up with it. It should be noted that these pursuers, of course, may include trainers who mistake their calm demeanor during their treecko stage as consent to subject it to extreme stress.

Sceptile
The Forest Pokémon
Type: Grass
Official Registration #: 254
Entry: The evolved form of grovyle, by battle experience. In Hoennian lore, sceptile are traditionally seen as forest guardians. Not only are their jungle combat skills completely unrivaled in the pokémon world (due to both its surprising agility and the sharp leaf blades on its arms), but also, the bulbs on their backs contain seeds that they can plant in order to revitalize parts of their forest homes. It should also be noted that this image of sceptile as a jungle guardian is perhaps only helped by the fact that the aforementioned bulbs explode in order to release the seeds within, yet sceptile, much like its original treecko form, take the violent bursting of parts of their body without even flinching. Needless to say, the disinclination to fight a creature that refuses to show pain is something of a survival adaptation for the rest of the forest.

Mega Sceptile
The Forest Pokémon
Type: Grass/Dragon
Official Registration #: 254+
Entry: The advanced form of sceptile, via sceptilite. As mega sceptile, this pokémon is imbued with the ability to detach its lengthy tail as a form of self-defense. Actually, many lizard pokémon possess this ability; it’s just that mega sceptile is the only one for whom this also entails (forgive the pun) seizing the detached limb and stabbing its attacker with it.

How do take care of a treecko and what kind of toys he would like to play with?

Believe it or not, treecko don’t often need toys. Certainly, they’ll play with toys you give your other pokémon (although as a word of advice, due to their shedding skin and the fact that they often carry salmonella, you perhaps will want to give them toys that are easy to clean), but oftentimes, treecko will be content to sun, climb, and train.

That said, above all else, it’s important to provide your treecko with an optimal environment. They’re reptiles, grass-type tropical ones at that, and that means they need plenty of sunlight, warmth, and humidity. (Because of their grass typing, they are not nocturnal, by the way, unlike their animal “counterparts.”) If you live in an urban environment and/or can’t provide your treecko with at least eight hours of sunlight, you’ll need to provide them with a heat lamp, particularly one that can emit UVA and UVB lighting. This will become especially important as your treecko evolves and develops more plant-like characteristics, as by then, it will need light that mimics sunlight to photosynthesize.

Regardless of whether or not you will require a heat lamp, your treecko’s environment will also need two key features: a flat rock on which they can sun (or hide beneath, if they choose) and something they can climb. For the latter, a tree would be ideal, but a cat tree (typically used by meowth, skitty, espurr, and litten trainers as a scratching post) will do just as well. Treecko will often use the former to rest while sunning, and the latter is simply for comfort.

Likewise, to mimic humidity and to keep your treecko’s skin moist on dry days, invest in a humidifier to add moisture to the air at a constant rate. Alternatively, on especially warm days, you may also spray the air periodically with a bottle of clean water.

As your treecko evolves, it will of course be imperative that you provide more and more space for it. While it’s possible to continue keeping a grovyle indoors, it’s highly inadvisable to keep a sceptile due to its sun and space requirements. Thus, it’s worth it to invest in an everstone early on—preferably at the treecko stage—if you live in an urban environment with limited space. If you cannot provide your sceptile with adequate room to sun and climb, you may wish to consider rehoming it or making arrangements with your landlord to provide rooftop accommodations for it.

Despite being able to photosynthesize in later stages, members of the treecko line are actually carnivores and prefer insects—particularly live ones. (This is why many treecko trainers prefer feeding their pokémon kibble, actually. It’s either less of a hassle, or the trainer isn’t particularly inclined to handle live crickets and mealworms.) They can eat berries or leafy greens, and their later stages can gather energy from photosynthesizing, but keep in mind that neither of these methods should be their primary diets due to their nutritional requirements (contrary to popular belief). Either way, provide your treecko with clean water and change their water bowls at least once a day. Twice for later stages.

Regarding keeping treecko’s environment clean, treecko can be taught to use a litter box, but be sure to line it with bark, not sand, as sand carries a risk of soaking up precious humidity. Be sure to clean not only the litter box but your treecko’s environment (unless it lives outside, of course) regularly as, once again, treecko skin may carry salmonella.

Incidentally, treecko do indeed shed their skins (as do their later stages, although sceptile do so at a less frequent rate), but it’s not necessary to clean it up, as the first thing treecko will do upon shedding is eat their own skin. (It’s a defense mechanism held over from their time in the wild, not to mention the skin is a ready source of energy.) You’ll be able to tell if your treecko is about to shed based on energy levels and color: if it seems dull in color and isn’t quite as energetic during your training sessions, then you’ll know. Provide your treecko with an especially humid environment during this time and keep an eye on its extremities. If It seems like its skin is not coming off its toes or limbs, wrap it with wet towels for at least a half an hour. If this doesn’t help, use a pair of clean tweezers to gently peel the skin off for your treecko.

Finally, as always with tamed pokémon, you’ll want to exercise your treecko daily by putting it through at least a half an hour of training. No bedding is required for sleep, as most treecko prefer to sleep in trees or whatever else they can climb.

Just this morning, my Treecko’s skin started to peel. Do reptilian-like pokemon shed like their animal counterparts, or is there a condition I need to be aware of?

Yes, if your treecko is not shedding excessively (you will know if it’s flaking off in small bits, rather than peeling off seemingly all at once), this is completely normal and absolutely comparable to the shedding of its animal “cousin.” If the skin is discolored and flaking, rather than peeling or shedding, then the atmosphere in its habitat may be too dry for your treecko’s needs, or your treecko may have contracted pokérus. It would be a wise idea—only if your treecko’s skin is discolored and flaking—to take it to the pokémon center.

I emphasize that you should only take it to the pokémon center if its skin is discolored, of course, because if you are dealing with a case of ordinary shedding, then your treecko will very likely be extremely defensive at this time. Shedding is a vulnerable period, not only because treecko can’t defend themselves as they shed but also because their natural defenses will be a little weaker as their new skin takes time to harden and adapt. You’re actually rather lucky to be watching your treecko shed (if that is indeed the case); most treecko prefer hiding themselves away in warm, moist corners of their homes, where they won’t be bothered. It’s rare, in other words, for a treecko owner to have the chance to watch their pokémon shed, and it’s a sure sign that your treecko trusts you fully.

Okay my grovyle just evolve into sceptile recently and now he just wants to fight everyone. How can I get him to chill out? (no ice jokes pls)

No ice jokes? I’m disappointed, anonymous!

However, glare I’m receiving from my editor as I discuss these questions with her over video chat tell me I should nonetheless press on, jokes or not.

As everyone knows, among the pokémon we know about, evolution brings on both biological and psychological changes. In terms of biology, there are of course the obvious physical changes, but with them come what is usually a boost in power. This contributes to the psychological changes, which consist not only of a shift in the pokémon’s personality (usually) but also typically a boost in confidence, especially if the pokémon in question experiences a particularly significant jump in battling ability. Starters are among those that experience the most drastic changes in terms of power and are frequently among the stronger pokémon available to a trainer, and as such, evolution will typically bring about the sort of behavior you describe.

While this is generally true for all starters, it’s worth it to note that this is not a motivation. It’s merely an explanation behind why ending up with an aggressive final evolution is very likely. Usually, pokémon have a specific reason for being aggressive on top of that, and it’s important to figure out what that reason is before anything else.

For example, in some cases, your sceptile may be going through a period where he’s actively looking for a challenge in order to establish dominance. Sceptile in particular are susceptible to this mode of thinking, as the species as a whole takes pride in their virtually unrivaled jungle combat abilities. If this is the case for yours, usually, such behavior can be stemmed (albeit not stopped altogether) by reinforcing the trainer-pokémon bond. Establish that you still respect your sceptile and that you only wish the best for him by creating a specialized training routine that you and your sceptile engage in alone, outside of the company of the rest of your team.

Alternatively, many pokémon evolution lines wait until their final forms to set out and establish their own territories and nests, and in other lines, it’s the final evolution that serves as the leader of the rest of the pack. (In this sense, it is also an issue of dominance, except the dominance in this case is more domestic in nature.) This is also a possibility with sceptile, as the reason why the species hones its combat skills is to protect the treecko communities that live in the trees of each sceptile’s native jungle. If this is the case with your sceptile, then it’s important to establish team dynamics with him. Increase the amount of time he spends with the rest of your team and get him to bond with them outside of the battlefield. Once your sceptile begins to feel as if he’s needed to protect the rest of his team, his aggression will become more focused. This may sound like a bad thing, but once his aggression becomes more organized, it will be easier to identify what, specifically, he sees as a threat, which in turn will make it easier to train him to tell the difference between a legitimate threat and everything else he may be identifying as such.

Finally, the sceptile stage in the treecko evolution line is also the stage of peak maturity. While all members of the line can breed, it’s usually sceptile who are the most aggressive in their mating rituals because for them, mating is not simply about finding a partner with whom to raise eggs. It’s also about holding onto ideal territory in which two mating sceptile can create a new colony of treecko. Moreover, male sceptile have full access to the evolution line’s battling potential, and as such, they use everything they’ve got in their mating displays to establish that their line is far better to mate with than any other pokémon species. In short, seeing as your sceptile is male, he may also be looking to show off his power for potential females, especially if his targets are primarily male as well. If this is the case, then there’s not much you can do except perhaps assisting him in his search for a mate. Your first step in this case would be to contact a breeder as soon as possible.

In any case, anonymous, I wish you the best of luck, and congratulations on your recent evolution.

The Treecko Line

Treecko
The Wood Gecko Pokémon
Type: Grass
Official Registration #: 252
Entry: One of three pokémon traditionally offered to new trainers at the beginning of their journeys in Hoenn. This small gecko pokémon is famous for its calm disposition, which makes it an ideal partner for a beginning trainer. It is said that absolutely nothing shakes it, not even the rage of a forest fire. This, of course, is not entirely true. The calm demeanor it displays at all times actually hides abject panic and other extreme forms of emotion … which, given the fact that trainers routinely and happily face danger on a daily basis without so much as a frown, still makes treecko an ideal partner for a beginning trainer.

Grovyle
The Wood Gecko Pokémon
Type: Grass
Official Registration #: 253
Entry: The evolved form of treecko, by battle experience. Grovyle is noted for its nimbleness. Well-adapted to its native jungle environments, it can skitter up trees and jump from branch to branch with an unrivaled swiftness, making it difficult for pursuers to keep up with it. It should be noted that these pursuers, of course, may include trainers who mistake their calm demeanor during their treecko stage as consent to subject it to extreme stress.

Sceptile
The Forest Pokémon
Type: Grass
Official Registration #: 254
Entry: The evolved form of grovyle, by battle experience. In Hoennian lore, sceptile are traditionally seen as forest guardians. Not only are their jungle combat skills completely unrivaled in the pokémon world (due to both its surprising agility and the sharp leaf blades on its arms), but also, the bulbs on their backs contain seeds that they can plant in order to revitalize parts of their forest homes. It should also be noted that this image of sceptile as a jungle guardian is perhaps only helped by the fact that the aforementioned bulbs explode in order to release the seeds within, yet sceptile, much like its original treecko form, take the violent bursting of parts of their body without even flinching. Needless to say, the disinclination to fight a creature that refuses to show pain is something of a survival adaptation for the rest of the forest.