Any Dinosaur buffs around here?

[S@tanicoaldo]

In one of my settings Dinosaurs still live in america and one of the european NPCs has one as a pet.

I'm looking for a very small dino that can stay on his lap or on the table while he feeds raw meat to it.

Any good species that you guys can think of?

[Peelee]

Well, I don't mean to brag, but I've seen Jurassic Park like twenty times. And read the book at least five.

Anyway, on a more serious note. Procompsognathus, or "compys," would fit the bill. No promises on their temperament.

[5a Violista]

A velociraptor could work, if you consider "medium-sized dog" to be small enough to fit that description. A compy (including tail) is about 1 meter long and 1 kg in weight, and (comparatively), a velociraptor (including tail) is 2 meters long and weights 15kg.

I hope you make them feathery, because feathery dinosaurs are so much cooler than scaled dinosaurs.

I presume the NPCs have either made a domesticated breed (like the Russians did with foxes) or...the NPC is just sure to keep his dinosaur well-fed at all times.

[Lvl 2 Expert]

Microraptor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microraptor) would be cool. It's sort of a proto-proto-bird with wings at his arms and his legs. Depending on the flavor needed you can make it an actual flyer or a glider.

Another option would be protoceratops (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protoceratops). It's a little big for on the table, it's more of an under the table pet maybe. People often think of dinosaurs as either carnivores (the theropods) or herbivores (everything else). But there is good evidence that at least some ceratopsids might have had a more boar or badger like lifestyle where eating any meat they could get their hands on, for instance by chasing off predators, would be welcome.

A more classic option, a bit larger than the compsognathus, would be eoraptor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eoraptor). Beagle sized theropod. It's an early model, so it usually gets drawn with a reptile like skin rather than the feathers of many later theropods. (Whether that's accurate is a whole debate given the evidence of feather like structures in non-theropod dinosaurs (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feathered_dinosaur#Phylogeny_and_the_inference_of_ feathers_in_other_dinosaurs).)

And finally there is the option of a land-croc in place of a dinosaur. For most of the history of our planet active land predators outnumbered the semi-aquatic species in the crocodile branch of the archosaur family (there's even some branches of herbivores as well). A random species that's small enough to at least get near the right size range (quite a few of these guys are pretty big) would be hesperosuchus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hesperosuchus).

(Of course if dinosaurs continued existing and evolving for another 65 million years you don't really need to go for a historic species.)

[Vinyadan]

A velociraptor could work, if you consider "medium-sized dog" to be small enough to fit that description. A compy (including tail) is about 1 meter long and 1 kg in weight, and (comparatively), a velociraptor (including tail) is 2 meters long and weights 15kg.

I hope you make them feathery, because feathery dinosaurs are so much cooler than scaled dinosaurs.

I presume the NPCs have either made a domesticated breed (like the Russians did with foxes) or...the NPC is just sure to keep his dinosaur well-fed at all times.

http://thepunchlineismachismo.com/archives/comic/i-didnt-even-have-a-joke-for-this-week

[Goblin Slayer]

Protoceratops a pig size dino that belongs to the triceratops family.

[hamishspence]

Protoceratops a pig size dino that belongs to the triceratops family.Would they eat raw meat though?

Might be a bit on the large side for "feeding on lap" too.




Another option would be protoceratops (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protoceratops). It's a little big for on the table, it's more of an under the table pet maybe. People often think of dinosaurs as either carnivores (the theropods) or herbivores (everything else). But there is good evidence that at least some ceratopsids might have had a more boar or badger like lifestyle where eating any meat they could get their hands on, for instance by chasing off predators, would be welcome.


Mind you - even in the present day, some more overtly herbivorous animals like deer and antelope, are known to kill and eat mice or small birds.

[Vinyadan]

Might be a bit on the large side for "feeding on lap" too.


https://i.imgur.com/zQh50nM.png

[Lord Torath]

I was going to suggest Coelophysis, as I recall a National Geographic book on dinosaurs (https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/dinosaurs-books-for-young-explorers-1972/8393926/#isbn=B002QMZ5EQ) describing it as "chicken-sized". But that's one big chicken (http://www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/c/coelophysis.html)!
(also, that book is older than I am!)

[Eldan]

Eosinopteryx!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ccl91ELUAAAmEpM.jpg

I mean, look at the guy. About a foot long.

[Berserk Mecha]

There's plenty of species of small carnivorous dinosaur critters to choose from. To name a few:

Dromeosaurus (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dromaeosaurus) is an animal that is roughly greyhound-sized and has characteristics similar to a velociraptor.

Bambiraptor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bambiraptor) is another alternative. And before you ask, yes, it was named after the Disney deer. Dino names get silly sometimes.

If you want to move away from raptors, there's Dilong (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dilong_paradoxus), which is an early Tyrannosaurus relative, but much smaller at about 1.5 to 2 meters long. It could fit curled up on a sofa with its head and front limbs resting on someone's lap. There's also Guanlong (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanlong), which is similar and has the addition of a nifty crest on the head.

If you want to get a little weird, there's there's recently-described Halszkaraptor (https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/12/duck-dinosaur-amphibious-halszkaraptor-fossil-mongolia-science/), which behaved like a duck and was amphibious like one, too.

[S@tanicoaldo]

I had something like this in mind:

http://vacanerd.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/xavier-1602.jpg

I think a Procompsognathus will do the job, thanks.


Protoceratops is very cute I loved it ^o^ but to big for what I have in mind, but thanks for the infor anyway. :D

[Lord Fullbladder, Master of Goblins]

Well bear in mind that millions of years is a long time, plenty of time for a species to miniaturize (just look at insects!). Granted, that's also loads of time to look nothing like what you want them to, too, but as the setting creator you can ignore that part. Add to that that your setting has these dinosaurs are on a very large continent that in our own world was inhabited by humans for thousands of years before European contact. If the same is true for your setting, there's time for some level of domestication, which can also lead to miniaturization.

So don't get too hung up on a specific species. It took only 65 million years for shrew-like things to become person-like things. Imagine what might have happened to (non-avian theropod) dinosaurs.

[Peelee]

If you want to move away from raptors,

Based on my extension knowledge of Jurassic Park, moving away from raptors is always a good idea.

[Lleban]

oooh I'll suggest a couple

There is Yi Qi, which resembles a mini crow sized dragon but eats mainly insects, lizards, etc.
https://img00.deviantart.net/a733/i/2016/007/7/b/yi_qi_by_thedragonofdoom-d9n4568.jpg


If you want something more bird like than a raptor there are several Troodontidae of the size your looking for.

[Ravens_cry]

Here's a list (https://www.petsmart.ca/learning-center/bird-care/so-you-want-a-pet-bird/A0035.html)I found of good pet dinosaurs and what to consider before purchasing.

[Tvtyrant]

Eoraptor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eoraptor) seems best to me.

[sktarq]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psittacosaurus is your other option kinda like cross between protoceratops and the bitsy theropods ...but not a meat eater but interesting.



- I swear I need a new keyboard.