Compsognathus

Compsognathus


Pronunciation: KOMP-sog-NAH-thus
Description: A bipedal carnivore
Order: Saurischia ("lizard-hipped")
Name means: "Elegant Jaw"
Period: Late Jurassic, about 145 MYA
Location: Europe
Height: 0.6 metres (24 inches)
Length: 1 metre (40 inches)
Weight: 3.6 kilograms (8 pounds)
Feathers?: maybe

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Instincts

+ Hunt for yourself and chicks.
+ Defend your offspring.
+ If it's small and moves, bite it!
+ Chase away other small predators.
+ Avoid large dinosaurs.
+ Stay in the cover of underbrush.
+ Be wary of moving shadows.
+Be wary of water
+Grow!
+Survive to mate and breed!
+Care for your offspring!

Verbal Communication

- Warbles/Shrieks - Active aggression, anger, surprise
- Slow Low Clicks - Warning, passive aggression
- Fast Clicks - Warning, play, curiosity
- Squawks/Grunts - Curiosity, cautious, uneasy
- Hiss/Barks/Yelps - Pain, aggression, annoyed
- Coos/Fast Low Clicks - Comfort, affection
- Growls/Snarls - Concentration, aggression, annoyed
- Screams/Screeches - Warning, attention
- Snorts - Confident, annoyed
- Chirps/Chirrups/Whistles - Play, comfort, curiosity, attention

Nonverbal Communication

- Tail-wagging: Used for play. Generally means, "Look at me!"
- Head-bob: Show of respect or greeting. Translates as harmless and no threat.
- Raised head/body: A show of dominance or curiosity
- Bobbing of upper body: A sign of play or frustration.
- Lowered body: Submission, caution, or hiding.
- Hopping/Leaping: Used for eagerness or curiosity.
- Muzzle-nuzzle: Used for comfort or pleasure.
- Leaning: Affection, usually used to see if mate would lean back.
- Bumping with muzzle: Curiosity, comfort, usually to find out of an individual is fine.
- Nipping/Nibbling: Used for affection (potential love-bites) or warnings.
- Circling: Suspicion or concentration. Used for observation.

Sociability

Compsognathus is a lone hunter. They generally avoid others of their own kind, chasing them off if they come across an individual. Compies usually do not claim territory, seeming as they are not social, typically follow their prey wherever it goes, and stays within forested areas. They usually only come together during the spring, when males court females, which, occasionally, can result in bitter competitions between males in an abundant population.

Diet

Compsognathus hunt small reptiles, insects, and mammals. At times, they may try to steal eggs from medium-sized dinosaurs and/or crocodiles or turtles. They will scavenge for scraps and old carrion, killed by larger predators or natural causes.

Breeding

Compsognathus reaches sexual maturity at about 2 to 3 years of age, depending on the individual. Males are usually the ones to try and initiate courtships while females will be the judges. Occasionally, in more crowded areas, there could be many males fighting over a female, which will lead to small fights and quarrels. Females will go for the strongest of the males to pass on their genes with. Compsognathus do not mate for life. They mate for one season then part ways after raising a brood.

Nesting

The Compsognathus pair will start searching for an isolated and safe area to make a nest after mating. They will use many materials, ranging from sticks, soft vegetation, mud, and occasional remains of prey, such as fur and wings. After about a week, the female will lay two to seven eggs, and are cared for and incubated by both parents for about three weeks. The earliest hatchers crowd out the late-comers, and those eggs are usually eaten by the parents after two to four days. Compsognathus raise their chicks for about a month before letting them out into the forest before the parents go their separate ways.

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Extra:

Comsognathdae Family