Bulbasaur

" 'A strange seed was planted on its back at birth. The plant sprouts and grows with this Pokémon.'  —Kanto Pokedex, Ver. 1.1"

Biology
Bulbasaur is a quadrupedal Pokemon covered in scales. Its body is blue-green dotted with dark green patches. Its most notable feature is the bulb on its back, which blooms into a large flower upon further evolution. "Shiny" variants are noted to have a lighter green body.

Because of Bulbasaur's sunlight absorption and scaly body, they're often mistaken as cold-blooded, like reptilian species such as Kecleon and Heliolisk. However, research shows that Bulbasaurs are, in fact, warm-blooded. The scales on their body are formed from keratin that has covered the body in unevenly colored patterns. Because of this, the Bulbasaur line is hypothesized to be closely related to the Sandshrew line.

Habitat
Bulbasaurs are indigenous to Kanto, but are very rarely found in the wild. Small pockets of the population are scattered throughout the various forested areas in both Kanto and Alola, and evidence of Bulbasaur populations have been discovered in other regions, although no sightings have been confirmed.

Bulbasaurs tend to live in small, secluded clusters alongside one or two Venusaur and a handful of Ivysaurs. A group of Bulbasaurs - and other members of the Bulbasaur line - is called a "parade".

Handling
Wild populations of Bulbasaurs are known to be wary of strangers; they get along well with both wild and domestic Pokemon, but are skittish around humans and would rather run away than engage in battle. Because of poaching - primarily due to its status as a popular beginner Pokemon - and the recent push-back in social and environmental safety, trainers and civilians are warned to not approach Bulbasaurs in the wild.

Sleep Cycle
Bulbasaurs are a diurnal species, and are known to rise and sleep with the sun cycle.

Habitat
Unlike other grass-type Pokemon native to Kanto, such as Oddish or Bellsprout, Bulbasaur are not planting or rooted Pokemon, which makes them ideal grass-type partners for for trainers who live in sandy or rocky terrains, such as Alola's Poni Island or Mt. Coronet in Sinnoh.

Diet
Bulbasaurs are photosynthesizers. They are able to absorb sunlight to create nutrients from which they gain energy through a process known as photosynthesis. Excess nutrients are stored in the bulb, which can be later used in the absence of sunlight (similar to using a phone battery when it is and isn't plugged in). However, after the nutrients in the bulb have been completely used, it will begin to shrivel, causing hunger and fatigue in the Bulbasaur. For young, lesser trained Bulbasaurs, it is usually recommended that training consist of no more than twenty minutes of night training to every hour of light training; this capacity increases through training as well as natural growth through age and evolution.

Aggression
Bulbasaurs are not aggressive Pokemon, but are capable of lashing out when scared or angered. Their long vines are often used as whip-like extensions to crack the air in an attempt to scare away enemies, but can also be used to directly deal damage in combat, and despite their preference to flee, a Bulbasaur will not hesitate to attack when completely cornered.

When in a state of heightened emotion, it's been shown that mimicking the Pokemon's "Bulba-Bye", accompanied by gentle hand motions or constraining moves such a Wrap and Vine Whip, helps to lower a Bulbasaur's stress levels by a considerable amount.

Population Variance
Individuals in the species may have varying bulb structures depending on the type of flower that will present later in its life; as the flower form is genetic, these Bulbasaurs are considered to be different breed within the same species. The most common breed of Bulbasaur is the "Vileplume Sweet". the Vileplume Sweet Venusaur has a flower that looks similar to the petals atop a Vileplume's head; however, unlike the Vileplume, this flower gives off an aromatic, enticing scent. Other breeds of Bulbasaur include, but are not limited to, the "Garland" Bulbasaur, a rare cross-breed variant between a female Bulbasaur and a male Comfey, and the "Poison Oak" Bulbasaur, named after the professor of the region in which it was first observed.

User-Submitted Training Tips

 * Bulbasaurs react pretty well to treats as motivation; it could be because they don't eat food for nutrition, but they seem to be extra receptive to berries and sweets. Most refuse to eat regular Pokefood, though.

Regulations
By United Pokemon Conservation Committee (UPCC) standards, Bulbasaur is a critically endangered species. Bulbasaurs are strictly prohibited from being captured in the wild, but bred and domesticated Bulbasaurs are encouraged as both starter training Pokemon and emotional support partners.

Bulbasaur is considered a Category 0 Pokemon, so there are no legal credentials required to own one aside from physical or digital documentation.

There are severe restrictions on selling the outer covering, or tunic, of a Bulbasaur's bulb, as they shed naturally upon evolution but can cause extreme pain or even death to a Bulbasaur when removed prematurely.