POKeMON of the Day

Cacturne is a very special friend of ours that evolves from Cacnea. It typically stands at 4'03" and weighs a surprisingly heavy-for-its-size 170lbs. This is due to the water it stores in its body! Inhabiting deserts, this nocturnal Pokemon is misunderstood due to its Dark- and Grass- typing, though it is true that most Dark-types tend to get treated this way. It stays completely still during the daytime to minimize the water it expends, often being mistaken for a real cactus! Its young seek the shade beneath its arms. It is a carnivorous Pokemon that will not hesitate to prey on humans, so please, if you had any reason to at all, do not go wandering the desert at night! Cacturne is a very social Pokemon, hunting in packs to maximize their chances of success. Their metabolisms are incredibly slow and they may only seek prey once every two months on average. However, Cacturne is known as a sport hunter and will kill even if no one in the pack is hungry. They are not territorial and tend to wander in a nomadic fashion.

As an endurance hunter, you will not see Cacturne chasing its prey down. It instead bides its time, waiting until its prey are exhausted and dehydrated. As such, their primary food source tend to be the young, elderly, or sick. This Pokemon is surprisingly scarce in most regions, though it is abundant in Hoenn, Sinnoh, and certain regions of Paldea. It enjoys feeding most on Gligar, Silicobra, Sandshrew, and occasionally Natu. Diglett are a rare treat for it, too. The primary weapon these Pokemon use are their thick, spiked arms, and their fights for the right to mate can look like big strong hugs.

When there are Cacturne in my Pokemon sanctuary, I feed them plenty of protein-rich Slowpoke tails and keep them on wiggly tongs to activate their preying instincts. Due to their slow nature, this sometimes causes me to lose feeling in my arms.

Cacturne is not a beginner-friendly Pokemon to train. While it can become a steadfast ally, Cacturne is difficult to win over and may have issues bonding to a trainer. If your Cacturne keeps its distance, watches you closely, and doesn't vocalize, it may be sizing you up as potential prey. Bring it to a specialist for help.