I accidentally fell asleep on the couch and napped, without having first locked Monte in his bedroom turned cage. When I woke around 11 last night I immediately panicked at the thought of what he might have done to the computer cords or Christmas light strings while I was zonked out. However nada, nothing, not a chew mark anywhere. What a relief!
See this proves he really can behave so for him choosing not to is truly optional. Now I can see correcting him isn't cruelty but rather a case of tough love.