Glider Picking at Stitches post Neuter

[u][/u] Hey guys! I have a colony of 5 gliders (4 female, 1 male) and last Friday I took my male (Zeus) in to get neutered. The doctor did a pom- off neuter, and Zeus was given an ecollar (which, might I add was way too large for him, but I was able to shave it down to a reasonable size using some scissors as it was preventing mobility and eating) that he was fighting for at least a day after the neuter. Zeus is no longer fighting the ecollar, but I'd like to get it off of him ASAP because I just hate seeing him separate from his family and plus I'm not able to clean him with a washcloth the way they can. Only problem is, every time I take off the ecollar he eventually ends up picking at his stitches (it has been 4 days now since neuter). I in no way think he is trying to SM, but every time the collar comes off for a bit he ends up cleaning himself for 5 minutes then starts biting at the stitches, trying to move them off. Obviously when I see him bite at the stitches a couple time I put the collar back on to prevent any damage he might do.

I called the vet (which I think knows much less than she should about gliders) and she said to wait for the stitches to come out on their own in maybe 10 days. 10 days! I think that's an awfully long time to have him apart from his colony; is there anything I can do to help speed up the stitches falling out, or is Zeus going to have to hang out in another cage for another week? Again, I'm fairly certain that he isn't self mutilating (no SM noise, doesn't seem all that stressed). Thanks!

Trust me when I say.... Wait it out... Please...

My male had a Lazer neuter. Although rare, he got in to it While still at the vet. They glued him back together... He had to stay in an ejacket for 3 weeks waiting for the glue to fall off. I gave him sponge bath when he needed them and once a week I took off his ejacket for a bath... What a nightmare to get it back on... He had to wait another 3 weeks after the jacket came off for intros with his new colony. He was 10 wks old when he's was neutered.

He needs time to heal. Or you may have a bigger mess to deal with...

If possible put his cage near the rest of the colony so he can still smell, hear, and see them.

Ah shoot that's what I thought. Zeus has to wait this one out - luckily the cages are touching so he can still interact with them during playtime (mostly just grabbing at them like a prisoner behind bars ). He's getting a bit icky so I'll have to give him a nice cleaning soon. Oh well, all for his own sake I guess! Thanks for the advice guys

Any time they have stitches they have to stay trussed up until the stitches are gone. It is just their nature to take them out.

Hey Guys! Just Checked out his tummy today and it looks like his stitches have fallen out on their own. The "remains" of his poms looks quite odd - but healed none the less. I'm not sure if they removed the whole scrotum or not honestly, the remains look a little black too. Do you think it's time I take the cone off? It's been 6 days now.

They look black?

Can you take a pic?

Keep the cone on and post a pic for me to look at.

I'm keeping the cone on. Upon further evaluation, I think what I'm looking at is stitches. Here are a couple images of what I see; what do you think?

From my recent experience it looks like a bit of a scab. Give it the full 10 days. It should fall off soon.

I would wait until it falls off. You can gently run your finger over it every day, but don't pick at it.

Thanks, guys. Don't know what I'd do without you. Can't wait for this whole ordeal to be over honestly. He's usually full of personality but this cone has just defeated him I'll be sure to grab some pictures of the colony that aren't just gonad scabs