Patty

Hello! My name is Patty, and I am an Apatosaurus, a species of long-necked dinosaur. My kind was created on Day Six of Creation Week—the same day as Adam and Eve.

Apatosaurus Facts

Did you know that the Apatosaurus is part of the sauropod kind, which contains the biggest creatures God made? You can recognize most sauropods by our really long necks. Most people think we used these necks like giraffes, to reach into tall trees. But we actually use them to eat low-lying plants.

When I grow up, I will probably be longer than two school buses parked end to end. And I’ll weigh more than six Asian elephants! Being this big requires some special features given to me by God.

  • The bones in my feet are organized vertically (up and down) in half a circle. So I basically walk on my toes all the time.
  • My really long neck lets me sweep my head from side to side so I can eat from large areas without having to move much.
  • My long tail balances me out so I don’t fall on my face!
  • I have some holes and thin spots in my bones so that they are lighter but still very strong.

My mom never has to tell me not to chew with my mouth open because I don’t actually chew my food. I swallow chunks of plants whole and bacteria in my stomach help break down my food. I also swallow rocks that help grind up my food. This allows me to eat some plants that other creatures can’t digest.

Did you know the Bible mentions dinosaurs like me? In the book of Job, God talks to Job and tells him to look at “behemoth,” a creature who eats grass, is extremely strong, has a huge tail, and is the biggest of the creatures God made (Job 40:15–24). Some people think this is an elephant or a hippo, but neither one of those creatures has a huge tail or is the biggest creature God made—they look pretty small to me! That description sounds a lot more like some kind of sauropod dinosaur like me.

Size: 70 feet (21 meters) long
Weight: 30 tons
Diet: Plants and leaves
Lifespan: Up to 100 years

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