Nidoran♀ is a small, quadruped, rodent-like Pokémon. It has large, spiny ears, oversized front teeth, red eyes, and a pair of whiskers on each cheek. It is light blue with several darker blue spots. There are two white claws on each of its paws. Its back is covered with small toxic spines, and it has a small forehead horn. The poison secreted by the spines and horn is extremely potent, and even a scratch from its horn or a drop of poison from its barbs can be deadly. However, this docile Pokémon only uses its poison when it feels threatened. Nidoran♀ lives in open spaces, such as savannas and plains. Nidoran♀ is an exclusively female Pokémon, Nidoran♂ being its male counterpart.
In the main series
Major appearances
A romance between a male and a female Nidoran was the focus of Wherefore Art Thou, Pokémon?. After the battle with Team Rocket, and after kissing Ralph's Nidoran♂, Emily's Nidoran♀ evolved into a Nidorina.
Minor appearances
Nidoran♀'s debut was in Sparks Fly for Magnemite as a sick Pokémon at a Pokémon Center.
A group of Nidoran♀ were seen at Professor Oak's Laboratory in Showdown at the Po-ké Corral. These Nidoran♀ were colored the same way as Shiny Nidoran♀, but they predated their appearance.
A Nidoran♀ briefly appeared in Lights, Camera, Quack-tion.
A differently patterned Nidoran♀ appeared in Poké Ball Peril.
Nidoran♀ also appeared in The Power of One.
Team Rocket attempted to capture a pink Nidoran♀ and its male counterpart during the events of In the Pink, but ended up being chased off by a pink Nidoking.
A Nidoran couple briefly appeared in The Chikorita Rescue.
A Nidoran♀, along with a Nidoran♂, briefly appeared in Going Apricorn! at Professor Oak's Laboratory being fed by Tracey.
A Nidoran♀ was one of the Pokémon stolen by Butch and Cassidy in The Fortune Hunters.
Nidoran♀ also appeared in Celebi: Voice of the Forest.
A Nidoran couple were among the inhabitants of the Dragon Holy Land in Fangs for Nothin'. Several Nidoran♀ appeared in the following episode in the same location.
A Nidoran♀ was used by one of the students of the Pokémon Trainer's School in Gonna Rule The School!.
A Nidoran♀ was one of the Pokémon seen at Professor Oak's Laboratory in Showdown at the Oak Corral.
Multiple Nidoran♀ appeared in the opening of Destiny Deoxys.
Nidoran♀ appeared in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew living in the Tree of Beginning.
Nidoran♀ also appeared in Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! Part One.
A group of Nidoran♀ appeared in Leading a Stray!.
Multiple Nidoran♀ made a cameo in Arceus and the Jewel of Life.
Nidoran♀ appeared in SS028.
Multiple Nidoran♀ appeared in Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction.
Nidoran♀ appeared in the book Bonnie was reading in The Clumsy Crier Quiets the Chaos!.
A Nidoran♀ appeared in Pikachu and the Pokémon Music Squad.
A Nidoran♀ appeared in A Watershed Moment! in a flashback.
A Trainer's Nidoran♀ appeared in Alola to New Adventure!, during a flashback.
A Nidoran♀ appeared in SM003, as a silhouette.
Pokédex entries
Episode
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Pokémon
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Source
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Entry
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EP100
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Nidoran♀
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Ash's Pokédex
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Nidoran♀. Its poison pin is quite powerful for its size, but its horn is smaller than a male's.
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In Pokémon Origins
A Youngster's Nidoran♀ appeared in File 1: Red.
Another Nidoran♀ appeared in File 3: Giovanni at Silph Co.
- Nidoran were the first Pokémon to feature gender, and even gender differences; however, their differences are much greater than those of most later Pokémon.
- Despite the addition of genders to most Pokémon starting in Generation II, the two variations of Nidoran remained separate species, rather than a singular species that splits down different evolution paths based on gender.
- An Egg laid by a Nidoran♀ does, however, have a chance of hatching into a Nidoran♂, as well as an Egg laid by a Nidoran♂ with a Ditto has a chance of hatching into a Nidoran♀.
- Nidoran♀ is the only Pokémon that loses the ability to breed upon evolution.
- Nidoran♀'s alternate coloration is similar to Nidoran♂'s normal coloration, and vice versa for Nidoran♂.
- Nidoran♀ and its evolution share their category with their male counterparts Nidoran♂ and Nidorino. They are all known as the Poison Pin Pokémon.
- Due to the fact that its gender, ♀, is included in its name, checking Nidoran♀'s summary from Generation II onward will display as if it were genderless if it does not have a nickname. If its nickname is anything other than "Nidoran♀", its gender will appear as normal.
Origin
Nidoran♀ appears to be based on a porcupine, rabbit (perhaps an Amami rabbit, specifically), mouse, hamster, or some combination thereof.
Name origin
Nidoran♀ may be derived from needle. It may also come from cnidocyte, a type of venomous cell responsible for the stings delivered by stinging animals, most notably jellyfish. Alternatively, it may be based on 二 ni (two) or 二度 nido (two times/two degrees) referring to the two distinct evolutionary lines with similar names and traits. Also, the Japanese word ran is translated as orchid in English. Orchids are flowers that can be purple or blue, these being the same colors as the male and female evolutionary forms of Nidoran, respectively. The ♀ is an indication of its female gender.