Here at PocketPets, we go the extra mile for our customers - and have our male babies neutered by a licensed veterinarian before they become available for adoption. Not only does this save a great expense to owners, it also helps to avoid some characteristic behaviors that can make an unaltered male Sugar Bear a more challenging pet. We get many inquires about this subject and why we choose to alter the males before adoption. After many years of working with both intact and neutered male Sugar Bears, we have experienced the following pros and cons:
CON(S):
1: BREEDING:
About the only "con" to having your Sugar Bear neutered is the obvious one - they won't be able to produce offspring. For most people, this lone drawback is far outweighed by the many "pros" outlined below.
Another related factor to consider is licensing and federal regulations. The breeding of Sugar Gliders is strictly-regulated by the Federal Government. Current law states that anyone possessing 3 females in close proximity to a fertile male must have a Federal USDA License; and be subject to complying with rigid health standards and frequent inspections.
PROS:
1: SCENT GLANDS & "MARKING":
As male Sugar Bears begin to enter puberty (usually around 8-12 months of age), they begin to develop three distinct scent glands on their body.
The first is a greasy "bald spot" on their forehead. The second is a similar bald spot in the center of their chest, and the third is near their genital area. The male uses these scent glands to "mark" his mate, his offspring, and his territory.
When fed the correct diet, this "marking" usually does not result in an offensive odor. However, some males possessing an extremely potent "glandular" system can still exude a noticeable smell.
After neutering, any bald spots will normally fill back in with fur in a short period of time - and marking will be greatly reduced or cease completely.
In addition, males which have not been neutered frequently exhibit an "extended" penis; meaning that their penis will protrude for periods lasting from a few minutes - to a few days - at a time. This behavior typically does not hurt the animal, and it will retract on its own over time. However, cases of "overgrooming" can occur, causing swelling and other complications that require a vet's attention.
2: FRIENDLINESS TOWARDS HUMANS:
Sugar Bears are very much like other household pets, in that once they reach sexual maturity and begin to have babies - their personalities can become less-friendly.
The most common behavioral change reported by owners is that pets which had always been very friendly, loving and well-adjusted - suddenly begin to bite and do not want to "cuddle" anymore.
While this sudden shift in behavior can usually be changed back over time by applying consistent discipline, the base hormonal "shifts" happening within the animal can be pretty hard to counter.
Once neutered, most adults will return to their normal, loving nature within 4-6 weeks; as the hormones slowly work their way out of the animal's system. Males which are neutered prior to reaching puberty will never experience these hormonal-related temperament issues.
4: FRIENDLINESS TOWARDS OTHER GLIDERS:
Adult male Sugar Bears which have not been neutered can be extremely territorial around other Sugar Bears - and will often kill babies which are not their own.
In contrast, males which are neutered at a young age essentially "stay" kids their whole lives - and will usually enjoy the company of completely strange animals after just a few minutes of introduction.
5: LONGEVITY:
Although no "clinical" trials have been done specifically on Sugar Bears, many owners report significantly longer life spans among neutered males. This is typical of most household pets - and in many cases neutered animals also experience less health issues due to the fact that their bodies aren't subjected to hormonal swings and stresses associated with mating.
6: HOUSING / INBREEDING:
Although it is perfectly fine to allow adults to remain in the same cage as their young offspring; babies should be separated from their parents before they reach 4 months of age. As previously noted, when fertile males begin to reach sexual maturity, their personalities can change fairly significantly. Males with extremely "active" glandular systems WILL try to mate with any female in their cage - and inbreeding will occur if they are not separated.
By contrast, neutered males will typically co-exist in the same cage with significantly less territorial issues - having the attitude of "the more the merrier"
As you can see, for most people the Pros of neutering far outweigh the single Con, so we asked ourselves .. if we were the customer, what would we want? Neutering simply became the right thing to do!
SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT NEUTERING A SUGAR BEAR:
If you happen to have an intact male that you would like neutered, you normally should not need to go to an "exotic" vet who specializes in Sugar Bears. The simple fact is that neutering a Sugar Bear is very simple and any vet who already works on other small mammals (like hamsters, gerbils, etc...) can easily perform the procedure. If you find yourself in this situation, simply contact the Vet your normally work with, and ask them to join the Association of Sugar Glider Veterinarians (www.ASGV.org). It's completely free for licensed Veterinarians, and once they join, they can watch a short instructional video that details exactly how to do the entire procedure in less than 5 minutes with no harmful side effects.