Sugar Gliders are NOT “rodents”. They are marsupials, in the same general family as a Kangaroo or a Koala Bear.
As such, they are proven to have several distinct advantages over other household pets such as hamsters, gerbils, ferrets, squirrels, etc.. For example, when cared for properly, their life-span is typically 12-15 years – similar to many dogs or cats.
They also have roughly the same intelligence as a dog, in that when trained properly they can learn their name, come when they’re called, and even do tricks.