Monica asked why ferrets hiss:
 
In my four, it can mean many things depending on mood: amusement,
chastisement, irritation, and outright anger.  Potpie regularly hisses at us
when we annoy her - she's climbed right up onto my roommate's chest before,
stared him right in the eyes, hissed, and clambered back down.  Very clear
message.  :) She will also hiss when she's having a good time, as will
Friday, who is the other hisser in the family.  Friday hisses when she's
chasing someone, when she's under a towel, and during other forms of play.
However, she also hisses when Noodle has her pinned down and at him after he
lets her go - clearly she is upset.
 
Just take Scooter's mood into account and figure out what she's saying.
What always amuses me is that ferrets only have three or four vocalizations
with which to communicate, so they eke all the meaning they can out of each
one.  Of course, mine also use biting/nipping as their strongest form of
communication.  Different bites in different locations mean *very* different
things.
 
Melissa
 
 ___ Melissa Litwicki __ [log in to unmask] ___
 By the whole newsgroup devoted tennis showing
     it after scarfing fork and laughters
[Posted in FML issue 1830]