For the Aggarwal family, there is one prized family possession they know can never be raided by the tax man.
Their beloved, century-old tortoise, Buttercup. “We don’t know exactly when he joined the family, but from what we can piece together, Buttercup is approaching 100-years-old, possibly older,” business owner Sanjay shares.
“We found him in the garden when clearing my wife Laura’s grandmother’s house after she died. He was the only surviving hatchling out of five and, as legend has it, he’s always been incredibly friendly.”
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(Image: Sanjay Aggarwal/Cover Images)
Laura first met Buttercup at her late grandmother’s house when she was a child, while Sanjay met him when they got married in 2014. The bond between Buttercup and the Aggarwal family is a unique one. The tortoise has lived through multiple generations, having been cared for by Laura’s great-grandmother, passed down to Laura’s grandmother, and now, he’s an integral part of Laura and Sanjay’s life—one that will likely continue long after they are gone.
“We believe Buttercup will outlive us all,” says 41-year-old dad-of-one Sanjay. “It’s incredible to know that he will be around for many more generations. Our daughter Zara, who is now six, will probably be the one who inherits him. To have this sort of legacy is amazing.”
While tortoises are known for their slower way of life, that doesn’t mean Buttercup can’t live in style. And Sanjay and his family have built him a ‘Palace’ which he spends the winter months in.
(Image: Sanjay Aggarwal/Cover Images)
“He doesn’t hibernate,” Sanjay explains. “From September to March he lives inside The Palace, which is a purpose-built bed I made for him. He has a UV light which is on from sunrise to sundown and he sleeps in a little cave. When he heats up in the morning, he spends his day walking around the enclosure basking, walking, climbing and eating. And in the summer months, he is free to roam in the garden and sleeps under the stars.”
He adds, “He looks after himself, we just see him daily doing his thing, play with him on weekends and give him treats.”
Having a low maintenance pet has been helpful for Sanjay and his wife as their lives are busy. Laura is a GP, and Sanjay runs Spice Kitchen – a family-founded enterprise that started as a simple retirement hobby for his mum Shashi, which quickly grew into something far beyond their expectations. “I started the company in 2012 with my mum, Shashi, as a retirement hobby project for her. She was bored and looking for something to do – it was never actually meant to be a business or make money, but it’s grown beyond our wildest dreams.”
(Image: Sanjay Aggarwal/Cover Images)
Spice is not on the menu for Buttercup, however – who the family hope will be around to see the company continue to succeed for decades ahead. “Lettuce, cucumber, strawberries, dandelions are the foods he loves.” Sanjay laughs, revealing that the family also care for two guinea pigs who are, “completely oblivious to Buttercup and vice versa”.
“We didn’t expect any of this,” He adds. “But now, we wouldn’t change a thing. Between Buttercup, our daughter, and our business, it’s all part of the legacy we’re building for the future.”
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