I have been looking to buy a Sulcata and recently found an adult male for sale on craigslist. The current owners say they have had him for a year, and they have been helping him recover from his previous owners who did not properly care for him. He is 12 in. long and 5 years old. I asked what issues he has and they said:
1. He has an indent in his shell
2. He got too much calcium as a hatchling and he didn't have a UVB bulb
3. He has an underbite
To me it sounds like he had or still has metabolic bone disease, if not something else. I am wondering if I should buy this tortoise, or if it would not be a good idea. What other issues may he have from his previous care, and also what could the underbite be caused by? I have included the pictures they sent me, and I will be requesting more. In the first picture you can see the indent in his shell, and that he has some pyramiding. Any advice is helpful, Thanks!
1. He has an indent in his shell
2. He got too much calcium as a hatchling and he didn't have a UVB bulb
3. He has an underbite
To me it sounds like he had or still has metabolic bone disease, if not something else. I am wondering if I should buy this tortoise, or if it would not be a good idea. What other issues may he have from his previous care, and also what could the underbite be caused by? I have included the pictures they sent me, and I will be requesting more. In the first picture you can see the indent in his shell, and that he has some pyramiding. Any advice is helpful, Thanks!