T. rex's Eating Habits

[Miles Constable at Edmn <ConstableM@mail.edm.ab.doe.ca>]

The information we have to go on with respect to the eating habits of T. rex 
are what the fossils of T. rex tell us about the animal, what we know about 
the Cretaceous environment, and what we know about our current environment. 
A synthesis of this information (at least what I know of it) leads me to 
these conclusions.

T. rex had large jaws full of razor-sharp teeth, it had long, strong legs, 
it had binocular vision, and it had long, sharp talons. If it was an 
obligatory scavenger it would require none of these tools. A good sense of 
smell would be about all it would need. Animals in our current environment 
with tools like these are primarily predators, ie. lions, wolves, tigers. 
But, just because they have these tools and frequently kill animals larger 
than themselves does not mean they won't eat carrion or someone else's kill. 
Why pass up a free meal? It also does not mean it would ignore small animals 
as a meal. Wolves frequently eat considerable numbers of mice, and the size 
ratio between them is enormous. If you eat enough mice you don't have to 
take a chance on getting your ribs stove in by a moose. So, why wouldn't a 
cruising T. rex try to snarf down a much smaller dinosaur if given the 
opportunity? The problem seems to be with people assumming a single 
"lifestyle" for animals. Our current predators are highly variable in 
selecting food items, why not T. rex?

Miles Constable
Toxic Chemicals Biologist by necessity,
By-stander and Observer of Paleontology by interest
Constablem@edm.ab.doe.ca