Name: Nidorino
Classification: Poison Pin
Type: Poison
Number: 033
Evolution: Nidoran (M) – Nidorino (level 16) – Nidoking (moonstone)
Height: 90 cm
Weight: 20 kilos
Habitat: Savanna
Description: Nidorino is a Pokémon that can’t easily be grouped in with either mammals or reptiles. The lower part of the body, it’s legs and snout are covered with scales. The fur on the top half of its body actually consists of small hollow spines. When stroking against the fur, one feels as if stroking a needlebed, though stroking with the fur, the difference is hardly noticeable. The spikes on its back and forehead are incredibly hard. Its huge ears not only serve to improve Nidorino’s hearing, but also to give off body heat. The exothermic chemical processes by which Nidorino produce their poison gives off so much heat, Nidorino’s normal body temperature is 44 degrees Celsius. Nidorino whose ears get damaged in a fight may die of overheating.
This highly poisonous nocturnal Pokémon has little need for camouflage. The tip of its spikes, which protrude through the fur, continually oozes poison. Although the poison is not normally fatal to humans, many Pokémon steer clear of Nidorino. It is an aggressive Pokémon that will try to stab intruders or other threaths with its spikes. There have been reports of humans dying not because of Nidorino’s poison, but because of the vicious wounds it inflicts.
Nidorino are monogamous, living with one Nidorina in a burrow they dig together. Although Nidorina are also aggressive – especially against other Nidorina – it is Nidorino’s main task to defend the burrow. The female gives birth once a year, after a gestation period of approximately 100 days, to one or two Nidoran. This happens in one of the underground chambers within the burrow, which is lined with grass to make it a comfortable nest. Nidoran typically evolve after two or three years and leave the nest when they do. Nidorino are primarily herbivorous, eating leaves and digging up roots and bulbs, but they do sometimes gnaw at the bones of carcasses to ingest calcium and sharpen their teeth. They can travel long distances each night looking for food.
Although Nidorino produce a nasty poison, their flesh, when properly prepared, is not actually poisonous. Carefully removing the poison glands, spikes and skin and washing the flesh thoroughly before preparing make it as safe as the meat of any tame animal. In some cultures, Nidorino are regulars on the menu. For a few decades, it was very popular for ladies to wear boots made from Nidorino-skin, because of the unique combination of fur and scales. This fashion faded when production was outsourced to factories where regulations were lacks and the hides were not always washed properly. This left a lot of rich ladies very angry, because the effect of the poison when it comes in contact with the skin is a harmless, but very painful fiery rash.