Abra, Kadabra and Alakazam

Overview

Arguably the most famous psychic-type pokémon and one of the first to be captured, the Abra line needs no introduction. There are a few details most people are unaware of, but most of the popular culture knowledge spread about this pokémon is actually pretty spot on. They're very popular when it comes to battling, but not many people know what they're like when they're not blasting unsuspecting Weezing into oblivion. I want to hopefully shed some light on a few alternative career choices for them, as well as give some tips on how to properly care for their well-known silverware needs.

Diet

They are omnivores and can eat pretty much anything, so common rations should suffice. Unlike the Ralts line, they are more suitably equipped to eat meat, so feel free to give them some if you are going with a more natural diet. They require a fair amount of fat and calcium due to their ever expanding heads, so be mindful of that. One of the more popular well-balanced diets for them consist primarily of (though not exclusively of) fatty fish and nuts, which is pretty close to what they eat in the wild. They can also handle any manner of treats, as they are extremely well-adapted to urban environments by this point.

Elan's Tips

Despite their tremendous power, the Abra line are actually endurance hunters just like early humans. This is one of the pieces of evidence for the theory that humans and Abra share the same common ancestor.

Be very careful about overfeeding them, though. It's a well-known fact that their heads grow as they age, and one of the contributing factors for that is their diet. You might think a bigger head is necessarily a good thing since it gives them bigger psychic capabilities, but having it grow too fast means they won't get used to the extra connections in time and thus will have a stunted development. You can increase their intake in very specific situations with the guidance of an expert, but otherwise please stick with the average recommended amount.

Handling

It is really difficult to touch an Abra, but not impossible. You will have to wait for them to come to you, and even then they might teleport away mid petting. If you do get to touch them, the ears are usually preferred by them. This also extends to Kadabra, who will hopefully not teleport away nearly as much but will still be somewhat reluctant about physical contact. Alakazam don't seem to have a common preferred spot, so you will have to find that out on your own.

As a general rule, please don't touch their spoons. Aside from being extremely rude, it's almost always charged with their psychic powers and touching it can be dangerous and even fatal if they are actively using them to focus. It is true however that Alakazam will sometimes let you borrow their spoons. If they do, I wouldn't recommend using them for eating, as they might get upset seeing them get tarnished.

Behavior

Abra are notoriously one of the hardest pokémon to catch in the wild. Even ones bred in urban areas since the dawn of human-pokémon relations will teleport away from the slightest movement, so there's not a lot that can be done about that. They will usually return home, but just in case it's important to get them a tracking microchip. Abra are actually sleeping for most of the day, and they will be slightly less timid during the approximate six hours they're awake for. That's also when they eat, so it's important to be consistent with their feeding time.

Kadabra and Alakazam can have pretty much any kind of personality, but are usually fairly social and cooperative. Wild ones tend to be more reclusive and temperamental, but they open up fast once captured. They have an impressive capability for problem solving, logic and mathematics, and can be trained to do all sorts of complex tasks. In fact, they enjoy having their capabilities challenged, both their intellect as well as their powers.

Freshly evolved Kadabra will sometimes go into hiding due to being unable to control their newfound increased psychic power. It is true that being near them at these times can cause headaches, and also make computers malfunction. It's okay to keep your distance from them during that period of time, but be sure to reassure them and keep interacting with them from a safe distance.

Regarding Spoons

Kadabra will not make their own spoons, you must provide one for them. Alakazam will keep the spoon you gave them, but they will also make their own as soon as they evolve. In fact, they will make numerous spoons until they feel like they make one that fully suits them. This can be quite expensive depending on what material you offer them, so I would discourage silver unless you're like a billionaire or something. They seem to heavily favor silvery metals, so keep that in mind.

Elan's Tips

Alakazam will make spoons out of steel-type pokémon's carcasses in the wild. As such, I recommend buying Skarmory molt in bulk since it's fairly cheap and something they'd be familiar with in the wild.

Vocations

Honestly, whatever they want. Abra obviously is out of the question. Kadabra can be a hazard during their early years, but both them and Alakazam make for excellent partners regardless of what your occupation is. They are quite popular as trainer pokémon, obviously. Some moving companies will use Alakazam instead of Machoke since they're smaller and have a bigger reach. Like mentioned previously, they are quite adept at logic and mathematics, and will also play nice with children too. I wouldn't recommend them as service pokémon though, since they aren't as attuned to emotions as other psychic-types are.

Elan's Tips

Alakazam can send email. Kadabra can accidentally erase all your hard work. Abra can grab your phone and teleport away. Always back up your work.

Final Verdict

What you see is what you get with these pokémon. As I said about Ralts, there is no shame in skipping their first form and getting yourself a Kadabra or even an Alakazam right off the bat. I wouldn't recommend them as a starter, though, due to the previously noted quirks and hazards. They make excellent companions for other pokémon as well. They may require a significant money investment depending on how you choose to raise them, but it's well worth it.