Sandshrew (Japanese: サンド Sand) is a Ground-type Pokémon.
It evolves into Sandslash starting at level 22.
Biology
Sandshrew blending in with its surroundings
Sandshrew is a bipedal Pokémon, but it has been known to run on all fours in in the anime. It is mostly covered in a dry, tough hide colored to blend in with the sands of the desert. It has two sharp claws on each foot and three small, sharp claws on its forepaws. These claws are useful for burrowing. It can curl into a tight ball to protect its soft, white underbelly. Sandshrew's body is able to absorb water without waste, making survival in an arid desert easy. It spends much of its time hidden underground in deep burrows, and emerges only to hunt for food. Sandshrew is found in deserts, grasslands, and caves.
In the anime
A Sandshrew
Egg in the anime
Major appearances
Sandshrew was first featured in The Path to the Pokémon League. It was owned by a Pokémon Trainer named A.J.. Despite A.J.'s seemly barbaric training methods (e.g. using a whip, training in a pool), it was very loyal to him.
A Sandshrew was one of the Pokémon that played Hide-n-Seek in Pikachu's PikaBoo. Sandshrew hid in front of a brick wall.
Mira enlisted Ash and his friends to help her retrieve her Sandshrew that was lost at the bottom of an artificial lake created by a dammed river in Sandshrew's Locker!.
Minor appearances
Ash Ketchum and Pikachu pass three Sandshrew in Pokémon, I Choose You! while being chased by a flock of wild Spearow.
An ailing Sandshrew is seen briefly near the beginning of Clefairy and the Moon Stone. It was seen lying down, which Seymour described as it "drying out" because of the significant increase of light sources inside Mt. Moon.
A Sandshrew appeared in Electric Shock Showdown under the ownership of an unnamed Trainer.
A Sandshrew also appeared in Pokémon Fashion Flash.
A Sandshrew was seen in a Pokémon Center in Sparks Fly for Magnemite.
A Sandshrew appeared in The Breeding Center Secret.
A Sandshrew appeared in Mewtwo Strikes Back.
A Sandshrew was among the Pokémon seen at Professor Oak's Laboratory in Showdown at the Po-ké Corral.
A Sandshrew belonging to an unnamed Trainer, was brought to the Pokémon Center in The Lost Lapras.
A Sandshrew under the ownership of an unnamed Trainer was treated by Nurse Joy in The Joy of Pokémon.
Sandshrew also appeared in The Power of One.
Sandshrew made an appearance in Tanks a Lot!.
A Sandshrew was one of the Pokémon stolen by Butch and Cassidy in The Fortune Hunters.
A Sandshrew appeared in Beauty and the Breeder where it participated in a Pokémon Beauty Contest.
Multiple Sandshrew also appeared in Celebi: Voice of the Forest.
A Sandshrew was one of the inhabitants of an oasis just for Pokémon in Got Miltank?.
Two Sandshrew were among the Pokémon seen at Wings Alexander's barn in Throwing in the Noctowl.
A Sandshrew was seen in the wild in The Legend of Thunder!.
A Sandshrew appeared in A Tyrogue Full of Trouble where it received an apple from a Tyrogue.
Two Sandshrew were among the Pokémon seen at Professor Oak's Laboratory in Showdown at the Oak Corral.
A Sandshrew was used by one of the students of the Pokémon Trainer's School in Gonna Rule The School!.
A Sandshrew appeared under the possession of a Coordinator in Hi Ho Silver Wind!.
A Sandshrew appeared in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew living in the Tree of Beginning. Also, one appeared in the opening of the movie.
It also appeared in Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! Part One.
A Sandshrew made a brief cameo along with a Sandslash in Destiny Deoxys and Giratina and the Sky Warrior.
A Sandshrew appeared in Camping It Up!.
A Sandshrew was also seen at the Shelter Town's Pokémon Center in Battling a Cute Drama!.
Multiple Sandshrew made a cameo in Arceus and the Jewel of Life.
A Trainer's Sandshrew appeared in Lost at the League!.
Pokédex entries
In the manga
In The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga
Professor Oak owns a Sandshrew in the The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga. He uses it in Clefairy in Space to stop a wild Clefairy from causing mischief.
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
Sandshrew makes a cameo in Onix is On!, part of the Red, Green & Blue arc, battling against Red's Bulbasaur as a Pewter Gym Trainer's Pokémon.
Red also had a Sandshrew he uses to fight Fire-types such as Magmar.
Gold also has a Sandshrew residing in his house, but has never used it in battle.
In the TCG
- Main article: Sandshrew (TCG)
Game data
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation I.
|
Generation I
|
|
Red
|
Burrows deep underground in arid locations far from water. It only emerges to hunt for food.
|
Blue
|
Yellow
|
Its body is dry. When it gets cold at night, its hide is said to become coated with a fine dew.
|
Stadium
|
When hunting, it hides at the lip of its burrow. If prey comes close, it lunges out and drags in the prey instantly.
|
|
|
Generation II
|
|
Gold
|
If it fell from a great height, this Pokémon could save itself by rolling into a ball and bouncing.
|
Silver
|
Disliking water, it lives in deep burrows in arid areas. It can roll itself instantly into a ball.
|
Crystal
|
It prefers dry, sandy places because it uses the sand to protect itself when threatened.
|
Stadium 2
|
If it fell from a great height, this Pokémon could save itself by rolling into a ball and bouncing.
|
|
|
Generation III
|
|
Ruby
|
Sandshrew's body is configured to absorb water without waste, enabling it to survive in an arid desert. This Pokémon curls up to protect itself from its enemies.
|
Sapphire
|
Sandshrew has a very dry hide that is extremely tough. The Pokémon can roll into a ball that repels any attack. At night, it burrows into the desert sand to sleep.
|
Emerald
|
When it curls up in a ball, it can make any attack bounce off harmlessly. Its hide has turned tough and solid as a result of living in the desert.
|
FireRed
|
It burrows and lives underground. If threatened, it curls itself up into a ball for protection.
|
LeafGreen
|
Burrows deep underground in arid locations far from water. It only emerges to hunt for food.
|
|
|
Generation IV
|
|
Diamond
|
To protect itself from attackers, it curls up into a ball. It lives in arid regions with minimal rainfall.
|
Pearl
|
{{{pearldex}}}
|
Platinum
|
{{{platinumdex}}}
|
HeartGold
|
If it fell from a great height, this Pokémon could save itself by rolling into a ball and bouncing.
|
SoulSilver
|
Disliking water, it lives in deep burrows in arid areas. It can roll itself instantly into a ball.
|
|
|
Generation V
|
|
Black
|
To protect itself from attackers, it curls up into a ball. It lives in arid regions with minimal rainfall.
|
White
|
{{{whitedex}}}
|
Black 2
|
It digs deep burrows to live in. When in danger, it rolls up its body to withstand attacks.
|
White 2
|
{{{white2dex}}}
|
|
|
Generation VI
|
|
X
|
It burrows and lives underground. If threatened, it curls itself up into a ball for protection.
|
Y
|
Disliking water, it lives in deep burrows in arid areas. It can roll itself instantly into a ball.
|
|
|
Game locations
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation I.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In side games
In events
Held items
Stats
Base stats
Stat
|
Range
|
At Lv. 50
|
At Lv. 100
|
50
|
|
110 - 157
|
210 - 304
|
75
|
|
72 - 139
|
139 - 273
|
85
|
|
81 - 150
|
157 - 295
|
20
|
|
22 - 79
|
40 - 152
|
30
|
|
31 - 90
|
58 - 174
|
40
|
|
40 - 101
|
76 - 196
|
Total: 300
|
Other Pokémon with this total
|
- Minimum stats are calculated with 0 EVs, IVs of 0, and (if applicable) a hindering nature.
- Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and (if applicable) a helpful nature.
- This Pokémon's Special base stat in Generation I was 30.
|
Pokéathlon stats
Type effectiveness
Under normal battle conditions in Generation IX, this Pokémon is:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Learnset
|
|
- Bold indicates a move that gets STAB when used by Sandshrew
- Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only when used by an Evolution of Sandshrew
- Click on the generation numbers at the top to see level-up moves from other generations
|
Side game data
Evolution
Sprites
Trivia
Origin
Bulbanews has an article related to this subject:
Sandshrew is based on the pangolin, a mammal that curls up into a ball, has sharp claws, and lives in desert regions. Both Sandshrew and Sandslash are mentioned to have poisonous claws, similar to how some species of the shrew are poisonous. Sandshrew also closely resembles an armadillo.
Name origin
Sandshrew is a combination of sand and shrew (a small rodent-like mammal).
Sand is literally sand.
In other languages
Language
|
Title
|
Meaning
|
Japanese
|
サンド Sand
|
From sand
|
French
|
Sabelette
|
From sable and belette
|
Spanish
|
Sandshrew
|
Same as English name
|
German
|
Sandan
|
From Sand
|
Italian
|
Sandshrew
|
Same as English name
|
Korean
|
모래두지 Moraeduji
|
Combination of 모래 morae and 두더지 dudeoji
|
Mandarin Chinese
|
穿山鼠 Chuānshānshǔ
|
A portmanteau of 穿山甲 and 鼠. Literally "Mouse that passes through mountains"
|
Cantonese Chinese
|
穿山鼠 Chyūnsāansyú
|
A portmanteau of 穿山甲 and 鼠. Literally "Mouse that passes through mountains"
|
|
|
|
|
External links
Notes
|
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
|