There are so many amazing animals to choose from, it's quite hard to choose a favourite out of all of them. But if I was held at gunpoint and someone demanded me to choose one, I'd have to go with a tortoise, the surface cousins of turtles.
Now I wanted a tortoise pet for a very long time now, but living circumstances haven't allowed me to get one, yet at least. When I mentioned getting a tortoise to my family most of them laughed, since they don't see tortoises as very active pets and they believed that it wouldn't do anything but just sit out in the warm UV light getting a tan.
And are they wrong? No! But that's what makes them great pets, I can relate to wanting being in the sun all day without a care in the world. Of course there's more to tortoises than that, for example tortoises are known for their long lives. Pet turtles are known to live for around 80 years, while some larger species are known to have lived for 100s! Currently the oldest tortoise, Jonathan, is about 187 years old. Tortoises, if well looked after, can be companions for life, and not only your life but your children's lives as well.
Now looking after a tortoise can have its challenges, as with any reptile. You should always make sure you have enough space in your enclosure, researching the species should prevent any surprises as some can outgrow your wildest expectations, and that the enclosure has enough heat for your tortoise. A healthy diet of green goodness is also important for them as they are herbivores. Finally tortoises are not the friendliest pets, so they're not the most cuddliest or appreciative of getting picked up, but I believe that they are completely worth it.
