While Rick writes a nice story, he is coming a bit short on his information. I have had as many as 12 gliders, and now have six ranging from 7 months to 11 years, and my ex has 2. We have traveled the country with our little furry family, and what "stinks" is the not the animal, but when the makes are not fixed, their urine can smell. We have never had issue, ours all being fixed. So long as their cage is cleaned of fruit and food that drops, there is no issue. What the story lacks is this, these animals are complex true, which any complex thing needs time to learn about, yet the payoff, is priceless! They don't become so much a pet, as "the babies", and part of the family, in fact in our case....the family.
All of my gliders are adopted, by various sources. Ed & Gail are wonderful, somewhat over protective in a good way folks. The Larking man is a good salesman, however he does not tell the truth. He tells people that he feeds his gliders only fruit, and sells one glider at a time as a deal for customers. Gliders are omnivores, that require 50% of their diet to be protein...that means meats, chicken, meal worms, crickets etc, or the can suffer things such as hind leg paralysis, a sort of arthritis, that can be avoided. Also, the do live in colonies, that's because the are a "social" animal, so having one as he say to bond with, will only have the poor animal left sad and lonely, the more the merrier with gliders, and a pair is a minimum. So to that, he is wrong, and Ed & Gail are on point. When you own a glider, unlike other pets, you take on a new family member for about 12-15 years, and trust me having a few of ours die from age, or injury, will make a 6ft tall-230lb, former US. MARINE, drop to his knees and cry like a baby for days, they are not just a pet, they are a responsibility, and require you to be part of their lives, and in the short and long run, the payoff as stated makes gliders in my mind, the best pet anyone with the time can own. In closing, while the story covers a lot, it misses it's mark as to why people will open their home to rescue these animals, or protest against bad salesman, it's because these furry, lovable and sweet pets, transcend from pet to family member, if you both give each other the respect, love, and caring that any relashionship deserves. Kudos to Ed & Gail, they are heroes in the glider world. And if you desire (and you should) a glider) at least speak with them 1st, do some homework, have patience, and open your heart and you'll find out what my ex and I know, that gliders are the best little friends you can have.

P.S. I know Rick (writer),in fact, he met our gliders and they became the inspiration of sorts for this story, and by the way, they never bit him, nor did they smell!