A fish or a turtle...low maintenance, food is cheap and lasts months, no vets, no shots, no noise, very little poop to clean up after, heated habitat separate from room. I've had a red slider for 8 years now....he was no bigger than my thumbnail when I got him and now his shell is about 8" in dia...names Wavy cuz he washed up on my shore on a wave...He's a freakin party animal! :jointsmile: