Oh anon, you have picked quite the introduction to electric types. I've cautioned more than a few young trainers about getting a Shinx as a starter specifically because Luxio and Luxray can be such handfuls.

I'll start with the thing that always causes issues: Electric-type pokemon generate electricity and need to get rid of it. If you're a competing or hobbyist trainer, pokemon battles are perfect for this. If you're not, you'll need to make time for regular exercise. Most electric types get restless once they start to build up too much electricity and this can become destructive if left unchecked.

You haven’t mentioned where you live but if it's a city or large town, an understimulated electric type can cause all kinds of issues not only to your appliances but also power grids. So, very much worth considering your own routine and making sure your Luxray can get plenty of time outside.

Now for the more Luxray-specific advice.

It sounds like you did have a Luxio for few days prior to the evolution so you'll be aware that Luxray is significantly larger and its temperament is far more aggressive. If you've caught it from wild, you have a task ahead of you in earning its trust. This was the case with my own Luxray, Jet. She came to me as a Luxio and she needed a lot of time before she was willing to tolerate more than just my presence in the same room as her. I doubt your Luxray is as extreme a case but it's worth emphasising: They are proud and territorial pokemon, they can be slow to trust and quick to anger, they require time and patience to win over.

You've no doubt heard that Luxray 'see through walls' (that's half-true. They are very keen to electrical pulses, like those found in our bodies, and can sense them even through thick walls) well, your Luxray will be keeping their eye on you even from a distance. At this stage they are still very wary so let them be until they are ready to close some of the distance. Start small. Avoid 'challenging behaviours' i.e. direct eye contact, assertive postures etc. Let them get used to sharing space with you. Once they seem more comfortable, you can start thinking about getting closer though I would hold off on any petting until your Luxray makes physical contact with you first as even a relatively relaxed Luxray can snap if provoked.

(As an aside please take precautions in the beginning and wear sturdy gloves whenever you intend to pet and/or feed from your Luxray from the hand at least initially. Your Luxray probably does not know the amperage a human can handle and even friendly nips can cause bleeding and temporary paralysis. Speciality gear like this can be hard to get but your local Breeder should be able to point you in the right direction.)

Food is a great equaliser here and one of the easier parts to manage. Wild Luxray are pack hunters that kill and eat large prey every 2-3 days but they adapt very easily to the regular daily feeding cycle of most domestic pokemon. They are not fussy eaters and will go through your bins if they think their might be something edible in there. I would recommend disposing of food out of reach where possible and getting a few puzzle feeders for your Luxray, as hunting is still an urge they have and it can help with burning off excess electricity. Chewing and scratching are things they love so it's worth investing in a few large and sturdy chew toys and making sure there are ample ways for them to wear their claws down (on things that are not you or your furniture). Most larger pokemarts will have what you need (just be sure to get strong ones).

If this seems daunting... well... it is but I'll also tell you that Luxray can and do recognise intent. If you take good care of them, they will recognise that and trust will come. Stay consistent, respect your Luxray's boundaries and I promise you will have a very loving and loyal companion in the future.

Hello, Professor, and thank you!

Well, the easiest solution is maintaining the medical waste bins inside and the rest of the trash outside only, now if the Trubbish are getting inside your lab, you should spray some Repel on the medical waste, not one that is too strong, though.

Or you could take the biohazard waste with you when you leave for the night, ask your local Nurse Joy if you can leave it in the Pokémon Center

Professor schmofessor I don't even have a PhD. The project where we attempt to replicate Golett intelligence is in its very basic stages; we're focusing on really basic capabilities such as movement control and cognitive abilities. They're particularly fascinating because we just don't know how they work, even though they're man-made so long ago. There's a school of thought that says we should just replicate them by reverse-engineering them part by part, but I personally think that doesn't much tell us anything about how Golett works. Our best guess is that their original creators didn't understand how they worked either, so there's evidence that simply reverse-engineering is not enough to fully understand. I mostly work with the simulation and modeling side of things; our team also includes archaeologists and cognitive scientists. 

Tangent 1: Golett don't occur here - there's some evidence of them or perhaps similar Pokémon in burial mounds but those habitats have been too damaged by water for the Pokémon to have survived. It's an interregional project - the three Golett we have at the lab are from a partner university in Galar. I really want one, but I never got the chance to catch one when I last was abroad.

When they take up residence in a computer, Porygon are wont to do a little maintenance. Though I think most would be considerate enough to avoid deleting anything on a computer that isn’t theirs, it’s not exactly something that’s programmed in. They might be mistaking your playlists for clutter or malware. Maybe they just aren’t familiar with the app and see the space it’s taking up as a drain on your computer’s performance. In that case, I wouldn’t take it too personally. Talking to Porygon is your best bet to finding out what going on.

That being said, if this is a repeat problem, it is unusual that they wouldn’t just tell you outright. If they are perceiving your playlists as an issue that keeps coming back, most Porygon would at the very least alert you to it. This makes me think that it could be completely accidental on their part – as in they don’t even realise they’re doing it. This is, again, very likely if Porygon isn’t too familiar with Spotify.

There is one thing that strikes me from the phrasing of your question though. If Porygon is “worming their way in” that says to me that you are actively trying to keep them out of your computer. If that is the case and there are no other computers or similar devices in your home, I would not rule out the possibility that Porygon is upset with you. And rightfully so.

This is just in Porygon's nature. Lots of us, human and pokémon alike, need a personal space for comfort and calm and most Porygon use cyberspace for that exact purpose. It is extremely rare for a Porygon to not make frequent trips into cyberspace (my own Porygon is one of those rare cases and even she expresses a desire to.) Moving into cyberspace is simply what Porygon do. It is what they were designed for. While not physically harmful on it’s own, denying them this can will make it more difficult for them to run self-diagnostic scans. It can also be very damaging for their mental health and wellbeing, which could be why Porygon’s actions are reading as passive-aggressive and uncommunicative to you.

In this case, you need to open up communication and work out a compromise with Porygon. Sharing a computer isn’t hard. You can set clear boundaries, lock folders and implement passwords if you need to - though I’ve never known a Porygon to be so intrusive as to need those measures.

If you, for whatever reason, cannot share your computer (I know some people have very strict privacy requirements for their jobs for which a Porygon presence would be illegal or dangerous) you have to provide another device for them. Another computer, smartphone, tablet or laptop would be ideal. This is non-negotiable. Porygon need that cyberspace access. If funds are tight for you, taking them to an internet café for a few hours a day is also an option (just make sure you tell the clerk what you’re doing.) If neither of those are an option, you may need to reconsider whether or not Porygon is the right Pokémon for you.

Also, in the case of the latter issue, accept that you might have a lot of work to do to repair your relationship with Porygon. Open communication, apologies and compassion are going to be very important for both of you going forward. It’s not impossible to salvage, but it may take time.

I'm wondering what are common illnesses/injuries for Castform and their signs? We get occasional Castform at the Sanctuary and I want to provide them any care they might need.

Hey there Professor! Glad you’re enjoying my blog. And thank you for asking about Castform! They are such a fascinating case in artificial Pokémon studies, so I love talking about them.

Castform have a lot in common with aerosols - solid/liquid particles suspended in air - like mist or clouds. They are mostly water and, like water, they change according to the environment they are in, specifically the temperature, which causes them to change forms. Each form has different typing and a handful of its own needs. That said, they’re pretty low maintenance overall so regardless of form, you shouldn’t have too much trouble keeping them happy and healthy.

Castform lose water as they go about their day-to-day and resulting dehydration can cause them all sorts of problems. The Rainy Form in particular, can become ill if the water in their bodies is left to stagnate. In our terms, this will look like fatigue, sluggishness and/or some mild dizziness. Giving them a regular supply of fresh water will solve this easily. Flowing water is ideal but as long as it’s regularly replaced there should be no problems. If you have one of those fountains they make for cat Pokémon, those work really well here. The Rainy Form struggles with this the most so do let them out into the rain if you can (or failing that, letting them sit in a running shower for a few minutes will help)

The other major consideration would be regular outdoor time - a high-up spot where they can observe and enjoy the weather is all they need, really. They can get a little glum if stuck indoors too long.

The major thing you should look out for with a Castform is “fronting” or “drylining”. Fronting is what we call it when, due to weather conditions, a Castform ends up stuck between two forms. This has been known to happen, funnily enough, during weather fronts, where two types of weather meet each other. It has also happened in very humid conditions where Castform can wind up in both Sunny and Rainy form at the same time. This is rarely if ever dangerous, but it can be uncomfortable for the Castform and cause them a bit of panic.

The best thing to do here is to let them find a patch of more stable weather. They can do this well on their own but should be supervised in case they need to go far afield. Once they settle into a single Form they may want to stay out and follow that particular patch for a bit while the rest of the weather smooths out.

On a similar note, the existence of fronting has led some scientists to speculate as to whether or not Castform could have a “Storm Form”. As weather fronts are usually the points where lightning storms start to brew. There’s no evidence out there yet, but it’s certainly interesting to think about.

In any case, I hope you feel better equipped to look after Castform now. They are very gentle and sweet Pokémon so I’m sure you’ll have a great time with any that come your way.

Hi there!

Cracks and fractures aren't uncommon in Steel-types. I reckon they make up about half of the problems that get sent my way. In a lot of cases, they are usually the result of some underlying issue, rather than just being a problem in of itself.

In a copper heavy metal (such as bronze) the cause is likely season cracking. This happens when copper is exposed to ammonia and produces cupromonium ions. These are water-soluble and will wash out of the affected area, weakening the metal and making it more likely to crack under stress. Your best bet at preventing further damage is through reducing exposure. Ammonia is found in a lot of fertilisers and even in some industrial cleaners, so exposure can happen pretty easily, especially if this guy has been living near farmland.

As for the damage itself, there are a few options! Unsurprisingly, steel-type pokémon can't always be heat-treated safely - it's usually something we use only on pokémon with steel parts or plating (think Aron and Mawile). For small cracks, there are lots of specialised epoxies that can aid natural healing available to buy. They work by essentially creating a scab over the crack which should prevent further damage and give the injury time to sort itself out. Then it’s just a matter of plenty of rest – if they’re a battle Pokémon, I’d recommend keeping them on the bench until they’re all healed up.

Larger or deeper cracks like you’ve described will require cold stitches to fix. Cold stitching involves drilling rows of holes across the crack at various points, joining them and then forging a “stitch” to fill each row of holes. Like so:

Just like the stitches we’d get for a big injury, these stitches will hold everything together until Bronzong’s natural healing can do the rest. It will also quicken recovery, as the amount of metal Bronzong will need to produce to fill in the gaps will be significantly reduced.

Also yes, I am aware of how it sounds. I won’t lie, cold stitching is a long, involved process and the recovery can be uncomfortable. Depending on the size and depth of the crack, it can take upwards of around six weeks to recover completely, during which they really should avoid putting any weight or stress on the affected area. While not always a painful procedure, a more severe crack may require sedation, which is another thing to keep in mind.

On the plus side, we’ve been using cold stitching for hundreds of years and it is a very reliable method of repair. It will also be nearly invisible once it’s healed, as the stitches aren’t going to be removed afterwards – though some excess will have to be filed down.

Do you so happen to know the safety measures they’ve got in place seeing as they have moves that quite literally tear the ground apart? I was planning on asking Leon when Red and I head to Galar but my curiosity got the better of me

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Also! Because neither Red or I specialize in non-organic Pokémon, I’ve actually handed them over to a friend who knows a bit more about the Magnemite line since they’ve cared for one and experienced a few similar cases. I’ll try to keep you updated on the situation

Hello again!

Yes I have. Though probably not as many as you’d think. I live in Motostoke now but most of my time in Galar was spent living in Spikemuth, which has no active Dynamax spots. Though I’m not an official battler and never undertook the Galar League Challenge, I have participated in a few in Dynamax battles too and can absolutely understand how chaotic they must look from the outside!

You should know, for starters, that Dynamaxing and Gigantamaxing are partially cognitive in nature. What I mean by that is, while the changes they undergo do make a Dynmaxed pokémon and it’s moves incredibly dangerous, they are affected by the pokémon’s own desires - a pokémon that doesn’t want to do any collateral damage won’t.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t any safety precautions though. For one, Dynamaxing is limited to stadiums and areas where space is in abundance – such as the Wild Area. Our stadiums are also much, much bigger than those outside of Galar – for obvious reasons. The stadiums are built with the range and strength of G-Max moves in mind. Structurally, they have a lot in common with buildings in areas that regularly experience extreme weather and/or natural disasters. Cross-bracing, shock absorption zones, flexible foundations, adjustable flood gullies – it’s very comprehensive. The exact specifications vary from gym-to-gym in order to accommodate repeated use of certain moves by the gym leader as well as whatever moves they are weak against.

(This is why the fallout between Gordie and Melony was such a huge deal. MacCos had to make major modifications to Circhester Stadium in order to accommodate both Leader’s preferences. If you go now, they have these huge safety warnings that basically explain that, in the event of a Max Quake, the building is supposed to sway and please don’t panic.)

Also, the three turn limit on Dynamax usage and the structure of the League itself play a role here too. Three turns means that only a certain number of Max/G-Max moves can be used per battle. The League only happens at a certain time of year too and ALL of the down-time is spent checking and re-checking the stadiums for damage and implementing new measures.

There are also a lot of safety precautions in place for the audience. Seating areas are very well-shielded, in the event of an attack going astray. There are also systems in place to completely shut down the flow of Dynamax energy – should it be deemed necessary. There are a lot of technicians and medics on the side-lines in the event of an accident too. It’s mostly a joke but stadiums widely considered to be the go-to destination an event of a disaster.

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I’ve never properly dealt with an inorganic Pokémon but I’m pretty certain Magnemites don’t just go attracting all kinds of metal objects and screwing up computers and any other form of electronics. I’ve had to bound down some knives after they nearly scraped Red.

Do you so happen to know what could be causing this?

Oh wow, THE Professor Blue Oak! Sorry, I did not expect to get a celebrity in my inbox. I’m happy to offer all the insight I have, especially with Magnemite.

I can’t put numbers to it without seeing it first-hand but, yeah, this is very unusual. A single Magnemite on its own doesn’t generate a very strong magnetic field, at least not enough to cause that much trouble.

The Magnemite line are basically just living electromagnets. Unlike the kinds of magnets on your fridge, electromagnets are powered by an electrical current and can be turned on and off by removing the source of electricity. Ordinarily, Magnemite are able to adjust the strength of their magnetic field and do so often to compensate for changes in their colony and their environment. This is what stops the colony from constantly attracting metal and stops its members from sticking to each other. Your Magnemite doesn’t seem to be able to do this, which wouldn’t be a massive cause for concern, particularly if you’re dealing with a very young Magnemite as it’s a skill they have to learn. Simply getting it to discharge any additional electricity it’s storing would fix the problem easily.

However, even a Magnemite with very poor control shouldn’t affect home electronics that much. Modern electronics are well-insulated against this kind of thing. This tells me that this Magnemite also has a quite a naturally strong magnetic field. The strength of electromagnets are effected by the metal used to make them so it’s possible that this Magnemite may have a large amount of iron or an alcino in its core. Either of these could make a magnetic field that is extremely strong. This can be fixed by degaussing, which would reduce Magnemite’s magnetic field to close to nothing. A weak electrical current could then be used to remagnetise them over time. Though not painful, it would be a bit disorientating for Magnemite and would render them unable to float around until their magnetism was sufficiently strong again. This may afford Magnemite an opportunity to get a better handle on their sense of control but I couldn’t guarantee that. It also wouldn’t be a completely permanent solution as any electrical current over a certain amount would increase the strength of the magnetic field again. Meaning that Magnemite would have to stay away from strong currents and avoid storing too much electricity. It would also be possible to adjust the make-up of Magnemite’s alloy but the safety and feasibility of that would take some time to work out. Magnemite don’t eat metal like other steel types so it would require using actual metallurgical extraction techniques, which can get risky.

That’s most of the advice I can offer for now. While you didn’t mention any specifics about how they came into your care… if they were wild beforehand, I suspect that they may have been ejected from their colony. Given that Magnemite is going to need pretty constant care going forward, if you plan on re-homing them, I wouldn’t recommend they go to a trainer. I’m happy to help if you have any difficulty there. I know a lot of people who used to work with Magnemite who may be willing to take them in.