10 Best Ark: Survival Evolved Shoulder Pet Dinosaurs And Creatures

Ark: Survival Ascended has many larger-than-life dinosaurs, from the massive Titanosaur to the ferocious T-Rex. Taming a big dino companion can mean having a sturdy steed to make traveling easier, a powerful fighter to take down enemy dinosaurs and adventurers, or a heavy-lifting material carrier and gatherer. There are a few often-overlooked critters, however, that make up for what they lack in stature with their usefulness and cuteness.

All shoulder pets in Ark have one major benefit: anything carried in a shoulder-mounted pet's inventory will weigh 50% less. Each pet also has its own additional features and perks that can make some shoulder pets more useful than others. The most popular shoulder pets in Ark combine the best of both worlds, serving as cute companion creature that are also useful in the adventure.

10 Glowtails Glow Brightly And Recharge Quickly

They Have The Fastest Recharge Rates Out Of All Charge Light Creatures

Glowtails look like geckos with wings and display some striking colors, making them a visually appealing addition to any adventurer's appearance. Their most useful feature is implied in their name: the tips of their long tails glow. This is a useful adaptation for a creature added in the Aberration DLC, considering the dark nature of the DLC's locations.

Thanks to its bioluminescent nature, the Glowtail makes a good companion when exploring dark locations. The lizards recharge faster than any other light-emitting creatures, though this is offset by a relatively short glowing time per charge. Glowtails are passive, so their utility is limited to being shoulder pets. Due to their adorable look, though, they're still popular Ark: Survival Ascended shoulder pets.

9 Microraptor Are Tiny Shoulder-Mounted Raptors

One Of The Smallest Animals on The Island

Visually, the Microraptor resembles a small bird more than a large Raptor, but its dinosaur-like face shows where the moniker originated from. Microraptors are one of Ark players' least-favorite dinosaurs to encounter in the wild, even more of a hassle than their similarly named larger cousins. The critters are hard to hit because they're small, capable of gliding, and have no trouble knocking players off their mounts, making an encounter incredibly frustrating at best.

As a pet, though, the Microraptor's small size, fierce personality, and ability to glide all become useful tools. The same features that make the Microraptor difficult to face in the wild also make it a great shoulder pet to have on hand when going up against enemy players. The small companions also often have vibrant feathers, adding a pop of color and life to any adventurer's outfit.

8 Jerboa Are Rodent-Shaped Alarm Bells

The Adorable Rodents Still Exist Today

Ark might be a game all about dinosaurs, but it also has many other non-dino creatures. The adorable Jerboa is a small rodent that resembles a mix between a gerbil and a miniature kangaroo and is beloved by players, partially for how cute it looks perched on their shoulders. Originating over 11 million years ago, the Jerboa still exists today, living in the deserts and steppes of Asia, Europe, and northern Africa.

But Jerboa aren't just cute, as they also have several useful functions for adventurers. The critters are adept at gauging the environment and will warn players of incoming bad weather like lightning storms or heat waves through a series of chirps and motions. Best of all, Jerboa can be equipped with hats and helmets, giving them slight protection against attack but mostly making them look absolutely adorable.

7 Featherlight Emit A Useful Glow

The Bird-Like Creatures Are As Beautiful As They Are Useful

The Featherlight is a mythological animal created for Ark rather than a dinosaur or an animal that actually existed at one point. The tiny bird-like creature looks like a mix between a falcon and a dragonfly, but it doesn't act like either. Rather than being a bird of prey, Featherlight is a peaceful creature that doesn't attack players or other creatures.

The glow of the Featherlight turns it into a shoulder-mounted lantern, making it indispensable in the Aberration expansion, where light is incredibly important. Featherlights' ability to fly also makes it possible for them to follow along easily if players have to swap shoulder pets for any reason. Plus, the gorgeous feathers and bird-like stature of the Featherlight make it resemble a pirate's parrot when perched on a character's shoulder.

6 Shinehorn Track Down Useful Dinosaurs

Also Known As Lantern Goats

The Shinehorn might just be one of the cutest animals in Ark, resembling a tiny goat with little horns, a fluffy tail, and cute black button eyes. It's also a docile and loyal creature, making it the perfect companion for adventurers. According to the official dossier on the Shinehorn from Ark: Survival Ascended, as "an exceptionally well-mannered and huggable companion, Microluminis cerynitis is an excellent choice of pet for any survivor."

Though some players might keep the little critters around for their appearance, they do also have a skill that makes them useful. The creature is also known as "Lantern Goat" for its ability to provide a shoulder-mounted light for adventurers, making them extremely useful when exploring in the Aberration expansion, which is dark and difficult to navigate without light. Shinehorns also warn and buff players when there are high-level threats nearby.

5 Dimorphodons Are Small But Fierce

Their Size Is An Advantage Against Larger Animals

When left alone, Dimorphodons are relatively peaceful and won't attack players unless the player strikes first. When provoked, they work together in groups to swarm players or any other threats, no matter how big they are. The creature is a small but ferocious dinosaur with the ability to fly, making it even more useful in battle.

Dimorphodons are especially useful for attacking large dinosaurs and can be literally thrown into battle directly from their perch on the adventurer's shoulder. Due to their tiny size, Dimos have a small hitbox, making them very hard to hit, which can be an annoyance for travelers in the wild but an asset when they're tamed. As a bonus, the small creatures are a great line of defense against Titanomyrma and Compis while players gather resources, keeping them safe from swarming attacks.

4 Mesopithecus Is A Feces-Flinging Monkey

A Funny But Useful Skill

One of the most popular creatures in Ark, Mesopithecus is as useful as it is cute. The small monkey-like animal can open doors from the inside and passively collect berries. It also screeches to alert adventurers when danger is nearby so they can be on their guard and ready to battle in time.

The Mesopithecus has one more useful skill: It can fling feces at enemies from its perch atop the player's shoulder. Besides being funny, this hilarious skill acts as a potent poison. If all that weren't enough, Mesopithecus can wear helmets, making them one of the cutest and most useful creatures in Ark: Survival Ascended.

3 Fjordhawk Retrieves Player Items If They Die

They Can Also Find Weakened Dinosaurs

As its name implies, the Fjordhawk is a bird that resembles a modern-day hawk. This useful shoulder pet was introduced in Ark: Survival Ascendedand quickly became a fan-favorite. A winged pet is generally useful, and the Fjordhawk is especially handy to have nearby, as it can be directed to gather loot bags and steal eggs. It can also track injured dinosaurs, which is helpful for players attempting to tame a dino.

But the Fjordhawk's most useful skill is the ability to carry the adventurer's loot back to them if they get killed. Getting killed in Ark means dropping all the items the player is carrying, while getting them back requires trekking back to the place of death. The Fjordhawk can simply retrieve the player's bag to their spawn point, regardless of the bag's weight. This unique ability makes the bird one of the best companions for players, especially for beginners or those venturing into dangerous areas.

2 Otters Are Warm, Artifact-Carrying Companions

Their Warmth Extends To Nearby Adventurers

Otters are exactly what the name implies: cute furry weasel-like creatures that sit across the player's shoulders as they travel. The otter makes an excellent early-game companion since it's an adept fisher. This makes them capable of providing the player with an easy food source, fish, and the potential to gain both Silica Pearls and Black Pearls fairly early in the game.

Another benefit to having an otter draped around the player's shoulders is that it's incredibly warm. So warm, in fact, thatthe otter provides players and any nearby adventurers with insulation from the cold. Finally, the otter has one of the most useful abilities out of all the shoulder pets in Ark: It can hold as many of the same artifact as it can carry, while players and other companion creatures are limited to one per artifact. On top of all these useful features, otters also have the most adorable squeaks, making them perfect all-around shoulder pets.

1 Sinomacrops Is A Bug-Zapping Glider

It Keeps Players Safe From Pests And Fall Damage

Sinomacrops is a small winged reptile that looks like a mix between a flying squirrel and a bat. When it spreads its uniquely shaped wings, it reveals striking eye-like markings, making it a beautiful addition to fashion-conscious adventurers. Unlike many of the other shoulder pets that literally sit on the player's shoulder, Sinomacrops hangs off the shoulders on the player's upper back instead, as can be seen in the YouTube video by Thyla BT. This is done so that when the creature spreads its surprisingly large wings, it can lift the player into the air.

Despite being a small shoulder pet, the Sinomacrops can use its wings to fly or glide the player to their location. This removes the need for a glider or a grappling hook, freeing up space in the hotbar. On top of this extremely useful ability, the Sinomacrops can scare away creatures by shrieking at them, including the pesky thieving Ichthyornis and Pegomastax. The creature also does increased damage against most bugs, making it a high-flying, bug-zapping form of pest control and elevating it to being the most useful shoulder pet in Ark: Survival Ascended.

Source: Thyla BT/YouTube