A Visit with Daxi, Calix, and Rose by Al Ruscelli Photography

A Visit With Daxi, Calix and Rose

More Sulcata Images by Al Ruscelli

Al Ruscelli Photography
League City, Texas
(281) 538-0579
E-mail: al@ruscelli.com
Alternate E-mail: vruscelli@comcast.net

All Photographs Al Ruscelli Photography

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Daxi, Calix, and Rose

These images were taken in Helen's Garden in League City, Texas, on a very nice fall afternoon. Daxi and Calix are two young sulcata tortoises (African Spurred Tortoises) owned by Rose. Daxi is the smaller of the two tortoises, and Calix is set apart by his unique scute (or scale) pattern, with a couple of split scutes on each side that give him more extra scutes than the average sulcata tortoise. Pretty interesting when you look at the two side by side and see the differences.

Rose with Daxi and Calix



Top shell (carapace) and bottom shell (plastron) views of Daxi and Calix.



Calix has extra pleural scutes (or scales, if you like) as part of his carapace (upper left image, right tortoise). The middle row or circle of scutes on the carapace comprises the pleural scutes. Calix even has a plastron that looks a bit different, with an unusual "bar" between the pectoral and abdominal plastron scutes (see upper right image, left tortoise).

Calix

Various Views of Calix's Unusual Carapace Scute Patterns





Daxi

A Yawn or a Threat? You Make the Call...

"Careful, Mr. Photographer. I'll bite your lens off."

And Now for Some Show Tunes by Daxi

Calix and Daxi Out in the Sun


"They call me...The Shadow...bwahahahaaaa...."
"No, they call me The Shadow. You just think you're The Shadow."

Checking Out a New Find

"What the heck is this thing?"
"I think it's a car. I've heard about them before. Very sporty."

"Let's get in and take it for a ride."
"I got shotgun!"

"Push harder! Put a little Fred Flintstone into it!"
"I think we need to clean the windshield."