The Egg-cellent Guide
Fine Housekeeping
Mrs. Smith
Pokémon Breeder, Caretaker, and Housewife
The Birds and the Combees:
How Pokémon Eggs are Made
Pokémon are miraculous in that they come in so many different sizes and shapes: some looking like mammals, others like amphibians, reptiles, and creatures we could never have even dreamt of! And yet the one thing that unites all Pokémon is their ability for every species to lay eggs. This fact was the million-dollar question for scientists. It's not surprising that Magikarp or Ekans lay eggs when their animalistic counterparts do, but that logic becomes muddled when considering the likes of Growlithe and Skitty. But you must remember that Pokémon are not animals. Your Glameow may resemble your typical household cat, but their reproductive systems are like night and day.
Some Pokémon may look every bit like your typical mammal, and yet every single one of them can lay an egg. However, this may not be as surprising as you think. A common exception to mammals who give live birth is the platypus, belonging to the monotreme group of mammals. Dig even deeper, and you can find the cynodonts, extinct animals that are the predecessors to the modern human, and also laid eggs!
Now, this magazine is meant to be family-friendly (my spouse would have a fit otherwise!), so I won't get too deep into the nitty-gritty! But while the reproductive process of reptilian and insectoid Pokémon are easy enough to explain, the mammal-esque Pokémon are more fascinating. Like the platypus or other monotremes (there's a word to impress your party-goers!), mammal-esque Pokémon are produced internally for some time before they are actually laid as eggs. This way, the eggs can receive nutrients directly from their mothers internally, and then when they are laid externally, their hatching time is much shorter since they've already taken time to mature. This decreased hatching time means a lower chance they will be harmed in their environment when they are vulnerable eggs in the wild.
Which means there's less time for us busy housewives to babysit those incubators!
Types of Eggs:
Like any other egg, Pokémon eggs' appearance, size, shell density, and type will vary depending on their parents. Here are the three types of Pokémon eggs you are most likely to meet!
Hard-Shelled:
This is the most common type of Pokémon egg. Pokémon ranging from Durant, Togepei, Torchic, Oddish—really, most any land-dwelling Pokemon!—will lay a hard-shelled egg. While insect-like Pokémon will lay smaller and more numerous batches, most hard-shelled eggs will be hard and somewhat brittle, similar to a chicken's, but a lot bigger! Thankfully, they are a bit sturdier, but you should still be careful not to drop them!
Soft-Shelled:
Soft-shelled eggs still have organic, outside casings, but are usually more jellylike than their hard-shelled counterparts. They can usually be broken into three categories: reptilian (Tirtouga and Squirtle), amphibious (Politoed and Froakie), or fish (Magikarp and Goldeen). While these Pokémon eggs may vary in their locational needs, oftentimes they will need a cool, damp, or wet place to stay in. These are perhaps the most entertaining for kids to watch, as you can see many of the Pokémon growing inside, just like a fish or frog's egg!
Other:
This is the most peculiar of the egg types, and one could argue whether they can be called an "egg" at all! Oftentimes this third category is applied to Pokémon who do not have a clear reproductive means yet still produce eggs, such as Muk and Gastly. While scientists are still researching this area, the most prominent knowledge so far is that these Pokémon encase their young in a protective layer they make using other materials. For example, Banette may gather scraps of fabric and discarded stuffed animals and form them into a "cocoon," while Gastly hardens their own energy into a solid casing for their young. Now, there is always the argument of how these Ghost Pokémon reproduce in the first place, but that is a discussion for another time!
Caring for Your Egg
As mentioned before, Pokémon eggs fortunately have a shorter hatching time than other eggs. Time is not as much of a factor to hatching as electromagnetic radiation is. While again, this is still an area of research for scientists, we know for a fact that electromagnetic radiation (EM radiation) helps Pokémon grow stronger. This is why some Pokémon evolve when the radiation from trading interacts with them! (How scientific!) The EM radiation gives the eggs that extra OOMPH! they need to break through that shell and say hello to a beautiful world!
This electromagnetic radiation is easily accessible through sunlight, which is why people are often told they can hatch their eggs quicker by going on walks. Parents' nagging their kids to take their Pokémon for a walk even when their just an egg has another advantage besides getting the kids out of the house! Not only do you hatch your egg quicker and get a chance to stretch your legs, but early tests show that Pokémon eggs respond to the external stimuli. You're already bonding with your little fella!
Now, you should still be careful with how you handle your eggs. (Putting them in the microwave for the EM radiation may seem a good idea for the couch potato, but this can pose grave health risks for any Pokémon egg not suited for unstable heat!) You should always take care to either incubate your egg or have the Pokémon's parents or a foster use their body heat to warm them naturally. While some eggs may be more difficult than others to take for a walk, such as the soft-shelled eggs, special incubators are available that give them the perfect environment while you can enjoy the outdoors!
No matter the egg, if you give your Pokémon the love, nurture, and care they need, you'll have a new best friend when they hatch!