I hope this isn't too overdone, but now after reading I'm starting to think I HAVE to get my little guy neutered or he'll turn into a smelly aggressive monster.

I honestly was NOT expecting that when I got him, and this is a bit frustrating considering the cost is hundreds of dollars most likely.

Does anyone here keep unneutered males as pets? Are they lovable and friendly?

Concerned,
Aric

Aric hey!
Don't panic yet. Intact males can be a little stinky...like a ferret.
But they are still lovable and friendly and every other thing, just like their neutered counterparts.
Most of the problems involved in keeping a male intact revolve around their aggression to other gliders.

I think (and if I have this wrong, someone please correct me) most people neuter at about 4.5 months. But if he's the only one, and you aren't having any neuter-related drama with him you could wait a while on it.

But overall, IMHO, Gliders are much happier neutered.
And once they start having babies, its hard to shut off the flood.

But don't panic. He's still your little love sponge.

Well, ferrets are definitely STINKY so I probably don't want that. Mine's only a joey still but I think I'd rather have him neutered earlier than later.

:/

Now the anxiety laden process of finding a vet and putting my expensive tiny fragile marsupial friend through surgery.

I have 6 intact male gliders in the apartment and they really aren't that stinky. I would have a house full of intact gliders before I would have a ferret.

The key is not to clean everything at once, it sends them into a marking frenzy.

To the fleece one day, couple days later do the wheel, couple days later any other toys in the cage and then a few days after that take everything out and do the cage.

I try to scrub the cage 4 times a year, I do the cage pans weekly and the grates when they get sticky, just soak them in the tub.

I do not use anything in the cage pans, I just haul them out to the kitchen, put them on the counter behind the sink, then I plop myself down on a stool and wash them down the garbage disposal with some Dawn dish soap.