#0007 · Kanto · Generation 1 · starter

Squirtle

Tiny Turtle Pokémon · Water-type

Squirtle is a Water-type Pokémon, the Tiny Turtle Pokémon, number 7 (#0007) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 1 and comes from the Kanto region. It is 0.5 m tall and weighs 9 kg.

Squirtle is the Tiny Turtle Pokémon, a small blue Water type whose shell is soft at birth and hardens within days. It hides inside when threatened and fires precise jets of foamy water.

How to pronounce Squirtle

Squirtle is pronounced SKWUR-tul. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Squirtle said out loud:

In Japanese it is ゼニガメ (Zenigame).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Squirtle is a light-blue turtle-like reptile with big eyes, a slightly hooked upper lip and three digits on each hand and foot. Its long tail curls inwards at the tip. The brown shell has a pale yellow underside and a thick white ridge between the halves, and the Pokédex says its grooves and rounded shape cut water resistance so Squirtle can swim fast. It is 0.5 m tall and weighs 9 kg.

Behaviour

When threatened, Squirtle pulls its limbs inside its shell and hits back with spouts of water; it sleeps tucked in the same way. Bulbapedia names Sharpedo as a natural predator. In the anime a gang of Squirtle abandoned by their Trainers roamed as the Squirtle Squad, and Ash's Squirtle was their leader.

Habitat

Water's edge, according to the Pokédex habitat list: ponds, lakes and mountain rivers. In Scarlet and Violet it lives in the Terarium's Canyon Biome, by rivers and lakes.

Powers

Squirtle shoots Water Gun, retreats with Withdraw and bites anything that gets too close. Torrent boosts Water moves when it is low on health, and Hidden Ability Rain Dish heals it in rain. With base Defense 65 it is a sturdy early Water type that favours survival over speed.

Name origin

Squirtle blends 'squirt' and 'turtle', chosen with water pistols in mind; 'squirt' is also slang for a small child. The Japanese name Zenigame (ゼニガメ) is the everyday word for a baby pond turtle, from zeni ('coins') and kame ('turtle'), because the shell pattern looks like old coins.

Design inspiration

Atsuko Nishida designed Squirtle and Wartortle. It mixes a baby turtle with hints of its final form, though its body and lifestyle are closer to a terrapin. Its curling tail may refer to the minogame, a legendary Japanese turtle said to have reached the age of 10,000 years and sprouted a tail of seaweed.

Evolution notes

Evolves into Wartortle at level 16, then Blastoise at level 36. In Generation II, the three were the only Pokémon that could learn Skull Bash by levelling up.

In the games

Squirtle is a Kanto starter and, in Pokémon Pokopia, the very first Pokémon you can befriend. In Red and Green (Red and Blue outside Japan), where it first appeared, the rival Blue takes it if you choose Charmander. In Scarlet and Violet it arrives via Pokémon HOME or The Indigo Disk, and in Legends: Z-A it appears in Wild Zone 20.

In the anime

Ash's Squirtle debuted in 'Here Comes the Squirtle Squad' wearing sunglasses as leader of a troublemaking gang. The rest of the Squad became firefighters, and Ash's Squirtle eventually went back to lead them.

Fun facts

• In 2001 the Pacific island nation of Niue put Squirtle on a 1 dollar silver coin.
• Super Smash Bros. Brawl shows Squirtle sprinting on all fours, something the main games never do.
• In Pokémon Origins, Blue picks Squirtle, and its Blastoise fights Red's Charizard in their Champion battle.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Squirtle (Pokémon) · Serebii: Squirtle (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 44
• Attack: 48
• Defense: 65
• Sp. Atk: 50
• Sp. Def: 64
• Speed: 43

Squirtle’s base stat total is 314. Its highest stat is Defense.

Type matchups

What is Squirtle weak to?

Squirtle takes extra damage from Electric (2×), Grass (2×) moves.

It resists Fire (½×), Water (½×), Ice (½×), Steel (½×).

Evolution

How does Squirtle evolve?

Squirtle evolves into Wartortle at level 16.

The whole family: Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise.

• Wartortle evolves into Blastoise at level 36.

Abilities

• Torrent: Strengthens Water moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
• Rain Dish (hidden ability): Heals for 1/16 max HP after each turn during rain.

Moves

Moves Squirtle learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (36)

Squirtle can learn 36 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Protect, Water Pulse, Chilling Water, Facade, Icy Wind, Mud Shot, Fling, Endure, Rain Dance, Dig, Brick Break, Zen Headbutt, Body Slam, Ice Punch, Sleep Talk, Rest, Substitute, Iron Defense, Liquidation, Surf, Ice Spinner, Helping Hand, Ice Beam, Hydro Pump, Blizzard, Water Pledge, Tera Blast, Haze, Gyro Ball, Focus Punch, Weather Ball, Flip Turn, Double-Edge, Whirlpool, Muddy Water.

Egg moves (9):Aqua Jet, Aqua Ring, Fake Out, Flail, Life Dew, Mirror Coat, Mist, Water Spout, Yawn.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 87.5% male, 12.5% female.
• Egg groups: Monster, Water 1.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 45 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium Slow (1,059,860 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Defense effort value.
• Base experience yield: 63.

Pokédex entries

When it feels threatened, it draws its limbs inside its shell and sprays water from its mouth. (Shield)

When it retracts its long neck into its shell, it squirts out water with vigorous force. (FireRed, Sword)

Shoots water at prey while in the water. Withdraws into its shell when in danger. (Yellow, Y, Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Let’s Go, Eevee!)

Squirtle's shell is not merely used for protection. The shell's rounded shape and the grooves on its surface help minimize resistance in water, enabling this Pokémon to swim at high speeds. (Ruby, Sapphire, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire)

It shelters itself in its shell, then strikes back with spouts of water at every opportunity. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2, X)

The shell, which hardens soon after it is born, is resilient. If you poke it, it will bounce back out. (Silver, SoulSilver)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Taller than 19% of all Pokémon (0.5 m).
• Heavier than 26% of all Pokémon (9 kg).
• Base stat total 314, ranked #798 of 1,025.
• One of 154 Water-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 170 blue Pokémon.
• Number 7 of 151 Pokémon introduced in Generation 1 (Kanto).
• Part of an evolution family of 3 Pokémon.
• Can learn 54 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 11 distinct Pokédex entries.

Sources and fact-checking

• Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Squirtle (Pokémon), Serebii: Squirtle (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (SKWUR-tul): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 19 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Water-type Pokémon · Squirtle vs Bulbasaur · Squirtle vs Charmander · Kanto region guide · Torrent ability · Rain Dish ability · Compare Squirtle · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

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Gen 1 Water-type Pokémon · Gen 1 Pokémon list · Blue Pokémon list · Monster egg group · Water 1 egg group · Pokémon that start with S · Turtle Pokémon

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