Can Alolan Sandshrew be shiny in Pokemon GO?

Alolan Sandshrew and Sandslash have been in Pokemon GO for a few hours, and have seen a resurgance recently due to the ongoing Holiday events.

Since its popularity is peaking once again, many Pokemon GO trainers are likely wondering if Alolan Sandshrew has a shiny form that can be collected. Fortunately, the answer is yes, and players can currently capture a shiny version of Alolan Sandshrew which can be found both in the wild and hatched from eggs.

However, Alolan Sandshrew is currently not in egg pools during this Holiday, so players will likely need to stick to spotting it in the wild.

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Pokemon GO: Is Alolan Sandshrew/Sandslash worth using?

Alolan Sandslash is an excellent counter to certain Pokemon types (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Unfortunately, the stats of Alolan Sandshrew limit it to any true viability in most battles, however, the same can't be said for Alolan Sandslash. As an Ice-type Pokemon, Alolan Sandslash is a great counter pick against Grass, Ground, and Dragon-type Pokemon. Since Dragon-types are such popular meta picks, good Ice-type Pokemon are well-valued alongside Fairy-type Pokemon. By using moves like Powder Snow and Blizzard, Sandlash can hammer away at opponents in certain matchups.

Although Alolan Sandslash is an effective counter pick and performs well in many PvP leagues, it has its drawbacks. Its solid defensive stats give it decent bulk, but it isn't particularly stellar in the attack or stamina departments. This makes Alolan Sandslash solid in attrition-based fights in Pokemon GO, but things can take a turn for the worse if it loses the typing advantage.

For the most part, as long as Pokemon GO trainers keep it protected, Alolan Sandslash is a somewhat unspectacular Ice-type pick (compared to options like Mamoswine, for example) but still makes for a good addition to a battle team. If players toss out a shiny Alolan Sandslash, they can add a little flair to battles and maybe even impress a trainer or two.

The current winter festivities are likely to be the best opportunity for many Pokemon GO trainers to catch and evolve Alolan Sandshrew. Ice-types don't appear in the wild commonly, so having them appear more often makes the winter time precious in Pokemon GO. Since Ice-types are so valued, trainers won't want to miss out on the chance to catch Ice-types or power up the ones they currently have on their roster.