I've had a female named Lucy, whom I bought from Pocket Pets 5 years ago. She's been great living on her own and is the most socialized glider to people (especially with strangers). Last weekend, one of my coworkers couldn't keep their glider anymore, so I said I would take him in. His name is Buddy, and hes an intact male. He's social, but he will bite on occasion when you bug him in his pouch while hes sleeping. However, over the past couple days, hes gotten better with it and will let me hold him and pet him.

Hes currently in Lucy's travel cage beside her cage, and I would like to bond them. Tonight I split Lucy's cage in half and put Bud on the bottom for about 30 minutes. Lucy was eating her crazy when Bud came up on the bottom of the bars. He nibbled on her toes, sniffed her, and licked the bottom of her gravy, and she was calm and minding her own business. However, I put him back into the travel cage since I had to leave for work. I didnt want any conflict to happen while I was gone. I looked into neutering him, but my vet said it would be a high risk because of the anesthesia. So, here are some questions:

1. Is neutering high risk?

2. Pocket Pets have in their contract that Lucy is fixed, so what would be other reasons to get Buddy neutered? He has a different smell than Lucy, but it isn't a strong odor. He bit my boyfriend today when he stuck his finger into his pouch, but Bud hasn't crabbed or bit me in 2 days. I don't know how old he is, but he is a bit bulkier than Lucy and has the bald spot on his head and chest.

3. How do you think their meeting went between the bars?

4. Any more tips on bonding these two?

5. Any tips in general on having Bud?

1. and 2. pocket pets neuters all the males. My understanding is it is NOT
high risk for males. but you can NOT fix the females, all the stuff is to small
and its to complicated. pocket pets neuters males so everyone isn't having
joeys and adding to the population when they can sell them. either you miss
understood the pocket pets about female fixed or they lied. that is the problem
I had with pocket pets, I feel they told us several lies or bad information.

3. there are several write ups on websites about proper introductions, this site
has one also. I think you should read and try to follow them. if they get
to close to fast, they can decide to protect their territory and fight. they must
have time to get used the each others scent before contact.
with singles or low number groups adding more is easier.
I have 6 and one strong male, he will no longer accept additions to the colony.

quote:

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Originally posted by BYK_Chainsaw


1. and 2. pocket pets neuters all the males. My understanding is it is NOT
high risk for males. but you can NOT fix the females, all the stuff is to small
and its to complicated.

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I didnt get Bud from Pocket Pets, I got him from a coworker I work with. And yet my vet says it's a high risk to get him neutered. What else would you suggest?

we have two vets in the area, one we thought was expensive and inexperienced.
the other was cheaper and seemed to have lots of knowledge, two glider vets on
site.

1. I would check around and see if neutering is really high risk, my
understanding is most males are neutered.
2. check around of another vet.

found this
www.glidercentral.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/302846/Neutering_FAQ_s