Science has had people mesmerized by dinosaurs, but popular culture, such as the Spielberg classic Jurassic Park has made the idea of encountering dinosaurs a positively terrifying experience. After all, if the film is to be believed, all dinosaurs are terrifying killers who feast on human flesh. However, that isn’t exactly accurate. Keep reading to discover the Top 15 Friendliest Dinosaurs that would have made the best pet
The truth is that some dinosaurs were actually somewhat friendly. Some were even kind of cute. As one can imagine, dinosaurs were herbivores and were not out for blood. This certainly raises their friendliness appeal and cuteness level in our books. So let’s leave the T-Rex and the other monstrosities aside and talk about 15 of the cutest, friendliest dinosaurs ever.
Top 15 Friendliest Dinosaurs
1. The Yi
One of the cutest dinosaurs that have ever lived was the Yi (also known as the Yi Qi), which resided around 159 million years ago in the region of Hebei, China. It is believed to have resided in trees and been small in size, though it did sport an abnormally long third finger to help support it in flight or when gliding on surfaces. In that sense, it somewhat resembled the modern-day bat.
Yi Qi (pronounced ee chee) is a Mandarin term that translates roughly to “strange wing.” Because of their non-traditional look and their residence in trees, scientists attribute the Yi dinosaurs to being one of the predecessors of modern-day birds. The dinosaur has been labeled as “refreshingly weird” because it did not represent what a traditional dinosaur looked like.
2. Scutellosaurus
The Scutellosaurus was a dinosaur from the region of modern-day Arizona in the United States and is one of the cutest dinosaurs that archeologists have been able to discover. It was a terrestrial herbivore that grew to just 1.2 meters. Its name is comprised of two parts: “scutello” which means “small-shielded” and “Saurus” which stands for “lizard.”
The Scutellosaurus was considered a lightweight creature, is estimated to only measure about 10 kg and estimated to only be 50 cm at the hips, and believed to have had the ability to walk on its hind legs, possessing a strangely long tail which it likely used for balancing during its self-transport.
3. Wannasaurus
One of the coolest dinosaurs ever discovered was the Wannasaurus, a name that translates loosely to “Wannan lizard” borrowing its namesake from the location where it was discovered, Wannan, China, or specifically in Anhui. Scientists discovered the Wannasaurus through the findings of the remains of a single skeleton of the creature, including the lower jaw and a part of the roof of its skull. It was estimated to have lived around 80 million years ago, believed to have been either an herbivore or an omnivore that consumed a mixed diet of insects and plants. It measured a mere 60 cm, with an 8 cm femur length.
4. Stegosaurus
Another dinosaur that was discovered in the United States and Portugal was the lizard-like herbivore, the Stegosaurus. It was thought to be one of the more docile and friendly dinosaurs during its existence between 150 and 155 million years ago.
It was armed with a heavy build, uniquely distinguished by its short legs, round backside, and suspended tail. It is so recognizable through its physical attributes, that it has been one of the more referenced dinosaur species in pop culture of modern times, including books, movies, other forms of media, and even postal stamps. It is also one of the most commonly exhibited dinosaurs across a majority of natural history museums.
5. Compsognathus
The Compsognathus is a rare carnivore on this list, though its intimidation levels were probably not significant seeing as it was the size of a modern-day turkey. The Compsognathus was discovered in parts of Europe, namely around France and Germany. Considered one of the cutest dinosaurs ever to have lived, it is believed that the Compsognathus roamed the earth about 150 million years ago.
The cuteness factor stems from their appearance of chicken-like nature, making it one of the smallest dinosaur breeds ever discovered. It measured a mere 70 to 75 cm long and about 21 cm in height.
6. Velociraptor
One of the most recognizable and famous dinosaurs to have ever been discovered is the Velociraptor, commonly referred to as a raptor, which has been featured in loads of movies, specifically the Jurassic Park film series. The film franchise however portrayed them as larger than what scientists have found to be their actual size. In fact, the Velociraptor was the size of a large turkey, measuring about 2 meters in height and weight just about 15 kg. It had a skull that measured about 25 cm around, with 26 to 28 teeth lining each side of its mouth.
The hands of the Velociraptor were armed with powerful curved claws, a commonality they had with modern-day birds of prey. Perhaps Velociraptors should not be considered among the friendliest dinosaurs, hunting in packs and being quite intelligent, and Jurassic Park films had certainly painted them as a threat. Nevertheless, they did have a look that some would consider adorable and fascinating.
7. Shuvuuia
Another dinosaur considered one of the cutest to ever roam the earth was the Shuvuuia. It is thought to have lived in what is currently modern-day China about 75 million years ago. This was a particularly small dinosaur, measuring only about 60 cm in length with a long, thin jaw, and a small skull.
Shuvuuia has been described as a unique desert bird because of its unique ability to not use its skull while using its jaw. It was also fast and possessed short, yet very powerful front limbs.
8. Tethyshadros
One of the best dinosaurs to be discovered from the prehistoric era is the Tethyshadros which was found in 2009 by Fabio Macro Dalla Vecchia, an Italian paleontologist on the Adriatic-Dinaric Island. It was estimated to have lived between 70 and 71 million years ago. The first Tethyshadros skeleton was actually dubbed “Antonio” by the scientists who discovered it.
The Tethyshadros measured about 4 meters in length and weighed a sizable 350 kg. It possessed a long skull that sat atop its short neck. It also had a short tail. It walked only on two legs, which each sported just a few fingers.
9. Chilesaurus
It isn’t a stretch to guess that the Chilesaurus was discovered in Chile and other South American regions. Believed to have lived about 145 million years ago, the Chilesaurus is one of the smaller dinosaurs found in the region, measuring a mere 3.2 meters from its nose to the tip of its tail.
A particularly unique attribute of the Chilesaurus was that it had one forward-pointing extended tooth. It had strong arms to fight off attackers, armed with the injury power of a giant claw at its end. However, while it could ward off unwanted enemies, it did not consume them as prey as the Chilesaurus was believed to be herbivorous.
10. Magyarosaurus
The 6-meter-long Magyarosaurus, or “Magyar Lizard” was believed to live around parts of modern-day Romania in Europe millions of years ago based on where it was discovered. This giant creature weighed about 1.1 metric tons, though its central back was a mere 105 mm. Interestingly, one of the most unique attributes about the Magyarosaurus is it was the only dinosaur to ever be discovered in that particular European region. Perhaps this lizard warded away enough other dinosaurs to dominate the area.
11. Therizinosaurus
The Therizinosaurus was a resident of the Asian continent around 70 million years ago. This behemoth of a creature looked intimidating but was actually considered to be friendly. Its size could grow as long as 9 to 10 meters, and it possessed a claw that would outmeasure any other terrestrial creature, measuring a whopping 50 cm. It used its claws to walk and perform tasks needed for survival.
Due to its massive size, the Therizinosaurus was a slow walker, tumbling along on its long, tough legs. Therefore, it wasn’t going to be chasing down any prey, meaning that it survived on things that would not run off: plants.
12. Pachycephalosaurus
The very thick Pachycephalosaurus lived on the North American continent in the region that is modern-day Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Alberta millions of years ago. It lived up to its namesake which translates to “thick-headed” with its extremely thick skull, measuring as much as 9 inches. It used its head to knock things down and shake objects. Good thing it was only concerned about eating plants, making it a categorically “friendly” dinosaur.
13. Lesothosaurus
Another dinosaur considered “friendly” was the Lesothosaurus, though this one survived on a diet of both plants and animals. It was discovered by scientist Peter Galton in the regions of modern-day Lesotho and South Africa in 1978. The 2-meter-long dinosaur moved about on its hind feet positioned atop long, thin legs. Its arms, however, were quite small and its tail was thin. Scientists believe assign these attributes to dinosaurs that are generally considered fast runners.
14. Ankylosaurus
Another former resident of the North American continent was the Ankylosaurus who roamed the landscape between 66 and 68 million years ago. The giant weighed between 4.8 and 8 metric tons, and was could grow as long as 8 meters in length. Scientist estimate, based on their discoveries, that the Ankylosaurus had broad horns facing the rear of its head on top of a wide skull, with the nostrils facing to the sides rather than the front.
15. Psittacosaurus
The Psittacosaurus, or the “parrot lizard” has a name that is a mouthful and a history dating back hundreds of millions of years. It measured 4 feet in length and 2 feet in height. The latter was particularly interesting since it had no horns on its head. As a member of the same dinosaur family as the Triceratops, the Psittacosaurus was believed to be a creature that lived among a herd of others. Unlike the Triceratops, scientists believe it was able to walk on either four or two legs and is thought to have been a fast runner.
The Psittacosaurus tops the list as it’s one of the cutest looking dinosaurs out there, and like most other friendlies on this list, was an herbivore.
Conclusion
We could go on and on. There are several more cute, friendly dinosaurs, that might have even made cool pets had they been alive today that could be named. Some names include the Microraptor, the Chaoyangsaurus, and the Panphagia.
The real takeaway is not all dinosaurs were vicious, blood-thirsty hunters. Some were calm, cool, and friendly. Had Jurassic World been made with these creatures, it would make for an easy family park to run. They might even have a petting zoo!
the top 15 friendliest dinosaurs would have made great pets due to their sociable and docile nature. From the gentle Stegosaurus to the playful Velociraptor, these prehistoric creatures would have been a delight to have around. We hope you enjoyed reading about these friendliest dinosaurs and encourage you to check out our next article, “TOP 12 Most Popular Dinosaur Pokemons You’ll Adore” for more fun dinosaur facts and information.
Frequently asked questions:
Friendliest dinosaur in the world?
Some scientists believe that the herbivorous dinosaurs such as Stegosaurus and Triceratops may have had a more docile nature and could be considered “friendlier” based on their diet and physical characteristics. Ultimately, it is impossible to say which dinosaur was the friendliest.
Hello, and welcome to my blog! My name is Idammah, and I am the founder of this site dedicated to exploring the world's mysteries, uncovering fascinating facts, and delving into science's weird and beautiful aspects. I have always been fascinated by the unknown and the unexplained, and I love nothing more than digging deep to find the answers to some of life's greatest mysteries. Whether it's exploring the depths of the ocean, investigating ancient civilizations, or unraveling the mysteries of the universe, I am always on the hunt for new knowledge and insights. As a self-proclaimed weirdo and science enthusiast, I believe that there is always more to learn and discover, and I am constantly seeking out new and exciting ways to expand my understanding of the world around me. Through FoxPeek blog, I hope to share my love of all things strange and wonderful with like-minded readers and inspire others to embrace their inner curiosity and seek out the world's mysteries for themselves.
