Day 18 of Maysozoic brings the ancestral Ceratopsid with the face of a parrot, Psittacosaurus. I think these little critters are adorable, and it's safe to say that I share that opinion with many others. These small critters would eventually give way to the more extravagant and and decorated Ceratopsids of the Late Cretaceous, which are among some of my favourite dinosaurs. Psittacosaurus had an interesting relationship with the mammal of day 17, Repenomamus, in that it was hunted by them, as I believe we have a specimen of Repenomamus with a Psittacosaurus in its stomach. It's kinda weird to think that a dinosaur would be consistently hunted as prey by a mammal, but hey, the more you know. For colours, due to it's forested habitat, I went for a combo of browns and greens that I think looks quite nice. He is also getting some nice head scratches, like he deserves.

These adorable creatures are Psittacosaurus, a small, primitive Ceratopsian that inhabit forests and grasslands around the world. They are rather skittish and often hide in small burrow systems they create in their habitats to defend themselves, but should the moment call for it they can shake their tails and use the quills on them to make a rustling sound to scare away a predator, or even use the quills to fight, hitting their assailant with the pointy end. They are also often hunted by small mammals called Repenomamus, although mostly their young are the targets. It isn't uncommon to enter a family home in towns or cities around the world to find a Psittacosaurus being kept as a pet either. They became very popular pets due to their small size and cute appearance, and domestic Psittacosaurus form close, strong bonds with their caretakers, adding to their appeal. I have to say, I can't help but agree, they are simply precious little beasties.