Special Mount options for Tiny rider

[Calimmacil]

I have a player who is ready to take his special mount class feature, who is tiny sized. We have not been able to find an official list of small-sized mounts appropriate for a tiny character.

1. Is there a list I might have missed? Usually Chet Erez's indexes are pretty comprehensive, but his Creatures index doesn't address this.

2. Are there guidelines for making a creature into a special mount? I can see a lot of small creatures in the MM1 and elsewhere that could make a good mount, but want to be sure it's fair.

3. Does a special mount have to be a new-to-the-character creature, or can the mount that the character has been using before reaching Pally level 5 get turned into their special mount, if it fits the right HD etc?

Thanks!

[PrismCat21]

1. I do not recall seeing a specific one somewhere. I'd look in the DMG and compare the CR of regular Pally mounts to Small sized creatures. Keep in mind the strengths or little creatures and large ones.

2 & 3. I believe the DMG has rules/options for using a Cohort as your Paladin Mount. You should be able to use the same guidelines to handwave an existing friendly creature as your Paladin Mount.
It may not be RAW, but it shouldn't hurt anything or break the game.
The bond between the Paladin and the creature is so strong, the divine power within the Paladin is naturally shared with their friend.

I would use Chets monster index and just go one by one through the small sized creatures.
List of Familiars would be a good idea as well. They will often by the right size.

[Doctor Despair]

I don't believe there's a penalty for using a mount that is two or more size categories larger than your character, so a medium mount would work fine if you'd rather not have to balance anything. With that said, the player could also purchase a Shrink Collar to make it small after summoning it if the medium mount seems silly.

[Gruftzwerg]

DMG page 204 & 205

p204: rules at which lvl you can get em
p205: list for small rider on the right side of the page (e.g. Blink Dog, Warpony, Dire Bat...)

[ShurikVch]

Mount (Small Rider) table includes Dire Bat (Large Animal) - thus, at least +2 sizes must be OK

Windrider PrC (Masters of the Wild) allow to pick almost anything of appropriate size to be your Mount (as long as it's "willing")