How would you like an 80-year-old Monster living in your backyard? One Southwest Side family loves it – but that’s because Monster is a charming and gentle tortoise.

Monster is his fashionable backyard habitat/submitted photo

Monster may weigh in at a stocky 40 pounds and be so named because he is huge compared to the family’s other two tortoises, but he still has to be separated from Wilson and Sleepy.

“Wilson gets aggressive,” Monster’s mom said – but no problems were reported between Monster and the family’s two birds and two dogs.

Monster is even known to help with chores around the home and yard. He loves following his human dad around, and even “helped out” by getting beneath a chair his dad was standing on while working on his truck.

“Monster went under the chair and lifted him about 2 inches off the ground,” mom said.

“I guess the hardest part of owning a tortoise is that they can get so big, making their habitat is a little harder,” she said. “Oh yes, and finding romaine lettuce on sale.”

Do you have a pet that rivals Sawyer? E-mail comment and photo to rynski@tucsoncitizen.com

What do you think?

Do you think tortoises make a good pet? Why or why not?