Shellder's shell is purplish-blue color and has two spikes on the top and also on the underside. It is unknown what Shellder looks like inside its shell. Shellder has a large, red tongue which serves as a means for burrowing.
Gender differences
None.
Special abilities
Shellder's shell is harder than diamond and can withstand powerful attacks. When sand combines with the body fluids inside of Shellder, beautiful pearls are formed. When a Shellder latches onto the tail of a fishing Slowpoke, the two Pokémon undergo a molecular transformation as a Slowbro is created and the Shellder changes in appearance.
Behavior
Its tongue is always hanging out, as it sits on the sea floor. Shellder swims facing backward by opening and closing its two-piece shell. When Shellder sleeps it uses its broad tongue to burrow a hole in the sand and then sleeps in it. While Shellder is sleeping, it closes its shell, but leaves its tongue hanging out.
The first time a Shellder was seen was in The Bridge Bike Gang. It was sick and Nurse Joy sent Ash, Misty, and Brock over to Sunny Town, (where Shellder was), to deliver some medicine. Once the Sunny Town Nurse Joy gave Shellder the medicine, it got better instantly.
At night, this Pokémon uses its broad tongue to burrow a hole in the seafloor sand and then sleep in it. While it is sleeping, Shellder closes its shell, but leaves its tongue hanging out.
At night, this Pokémon uses its broad tongue to burrow a hole in the seafloor sand and then sleep in it. While it is sleeping, Shellder closes its shell, but leaves its tongue hanging out.
At night, it burrows a hole in the seafloor with its broad tongue to make a place to sleep. While asleep, it closes its shell, but leaves its tongue hanging out.
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The change in Shellder's evolution when linked to a Slowpoke seems to only occur when attached to a 'living' part of the creature, as with the introduction of the item Slowpoketail in Generation II does not force a spiral evolution as one might suspect.
Shellder and Cloyster share the same species name with Clamperl. They are all known as Bivalve Pokémon.
No sprites have Shellder's tongue unexposed, excluding its back sprites, except a frame in its Crystal sprite.
Even though Shellder changes when it bonds with Slowpoke to become Slowbro or Slowking, it is not considered an evolution.
Shellder's Generation II shiny sprite gives the impression that its shell is rusty.
Despite always having it's tongue exposed, it cannot learn the move Lick.
Though Slowbro's Silver Pokédex entry mentions that Shellder secretes venom, it cannot learn any Poison-type attacks by leveling up.
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.
For other sprites and images, please see Shellder images on Bulbagarden Archives.
