Dinosaur hand shakes

[jamolnar@juno.com]

Hello All,

Bob Bakker has written and lectured about dinosaur hands for many years,
and I would like to get other folk's opinions about some of the things he
has said about dinosaur hand shakes.  I've seen many variations on
reconstructions of dinosaur hands, and I would like to get the "straight
poop" on this subject.  The kids really like the concept when I use it 
[gosh, how _would_ I shake that dinosaur's hand?] and since it
personalizes the dinosaurs for them and fires their imaginations, I'd
like to get it right.

The following notes are what I have gleaned from Dr. Bob's lectures and
writings and the reconstructions I've looked at in various places.

T. rex : digits 1 and 2 (thumb and forefinger), held as if you were a
child about to shoot an imaginary gun, palm perpendicular to the floor. 
T. rex could not oppose the 2 digits.

Triceratops:  Since the thumb, index and middle fingers had hooves and
the others did not, I'd hold the palm parallel to the floor and do a
"Vulcan salute" with the thumb not too spread out.

Brachiosaurus and all other sauropods:  all 5 digits are spread evenly in
an arc, palm parallel to the floor, with a thumb jutting slightly out to
depict the long claw.

Allosaurus, Deinonychus, Velociraptor, Giganotosaurus: digits 1, 2, 3
(thumb, forefinger, middle finger) held with the thumb up, the other 2
digits close together, as if you were pretending to shoot a "double
barreled" gun; palm perpendicular to the floor.  Birds also have this
handshake.

Hadrosaurs (all duckbills): Have no thumbs, so i'd tuck it in, then hold
my pinky to the side, palm parallel to the floor, 3 middle fingers
together.

Stegosaurus and Ankylosaurus: Like Triceratops?? Help!

Iguanodon: held hands with 2 thumbs pointing up, the next 3 digits with
hoof-like nails to bear weight, the pinky flexible enough to maybe hook
plants like a panda's wrist bone, palm held perpendicular to the ground
but could be parallel too.

Pachycephalosaurus and other boneheads:  Not enough post cranial skeleton
to tell?? Help!

I'd like to prepare this information for a teacher workshop on Friday,
August 15th.  
Thanks in advance, to all who take the time to answer.

Judy Molnar
Education Associate, Virginia Living Museum
vlmed@juno.com
jamolnar@juno.com
All questions are valid; all answers are tentative.