You can first catch Nidoran on Route 3, west of Pewter City. FireRed more commonly has Nidoran♂ there, while LeafGreen more commonly has Nidoran♀. The less common gender can still appear, but at a much lower rate. If you want another option later, check the Safari Zone near Fuchsia City.
Where to find Nidoran early: Route 3
After reaching Pewter City, head east through the city and continue onto Route 3. Search the grass for wild encounters. Both Nidoran♂ and Nidoran♀ are listed on this route in both games; which one is easier to find depends on your version.
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| Game | More common on Route 3 | Less common on Route 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Pokémon FireRed | Nidoran♂ — 14% | Nidoran♀ — 1% |
| Pokémon LeafGreen | Nidoran♀ — 14% | Nidoran♂ — 1% |
These encounter rates are listed in secondary game-reference tables, including Poketools and a FireRed/LeafGreen encounter comparison. They are reference-table figures, not rates from an official Nintendo encounter table.
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If you need the gender that appears at 1% on Route 3 in your version, keep searching in the grass there; it is possible, but encounters may take longer than for the common form. You can also wait until the Safari Zone becomes available and search its encounter areas, where rates vary by version and area.
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Safari Zone: a later alternative
The Safari Zone near Fuchsia City provides another opportunity to catch both forms. A 2019 GameFAQs walkthrough lists the common form at 20% in relevant areas and the less common form at 5% in selected areas. The specific areas differ between FireRed and LeafGreen, so consult the encounter listing for your game before choosing where to search.
Route 3 is the earlier option; the Safari Zone requires progressing to Fuchsia City. Safari Zone encounter figures are from the 2019 GameFAQs walkthrough and are not official Nintendo rates.
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Can you get the other gender by trading?
A GameFAQs LeafGreen Q&A reports an in-game trade as another way to obtain the other gender. The available account does not establish the trade NPC’s exact location or request, so this guide does not name a specific trade or route. For a dependable early catch, use Route 3 and account for the version-specific odds.
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