Peggy noted that her Rikki is the silent type, and she asked if that was
normal.  I think it is, but I was wondering.  Is she an only ferret?  Could
she be deaf?  Also, if she's never heard Peggy dook, why would Rikki assume
Peggy would understand dooking?  So Rikki communicates with Peggy visually
and behaviorally.
 
My Rikki, the first ferret, dooked as a baby during rough and fast play.  We
encouraged her to make these cute sounds by imitating her and generally
demonstrating pleasure.  When she got a playmate, Beaubeaux, they only
dooked when they rough-housed.
 
One afternoon I startled Beaubeaux, and he shrieked; never heard that sound
before or since.  Gracie & Pahzuzu are absolutely silent, as were Barney,
Annie and Opie.  Spencer only chattered and hissed when he was mad at the
other ferrets (whenever he saw them).
 
Hermann does not dook; she hisses.  It's hysterical when she hisses and Cat
is in the room.  Cat whips around all startled, with the look of amazement
at the ferret's having learned cat-lingo.  Like, "Hey, I didn't know You
could talk!"
 
Shasta was silent the first several months, when she wouldn't eat.  I
remember the first time she dooked.  She made the sound, then hopped and
looked around, trying to figure out who made that sound.  Then she did it
again.  I laughed, and she came over to see what I was up to.  Once she got
healthy, she got sassy.  She would dook and chatter at everyone and
everything (including furniture and empty space).  Lately, she's been silent
running again.  She can get into a room that no other ferrets can get into
(without my help), and as the superior intellect, she's not telling anyone
her secrets.
 
Rizzo doesn't chatter much; only when he's defending me.  That leaves
Bubbabear and baby Gary.  They never shut up.  They're like old men going on
about the weather and old women going on about old men.
 
In short (too late <G>), I think that's just how your Rikki is.  And maybe
that's just how she is *now*.  If you want to change her, or if you're
interested in an experiment, get her a new toy.  Jeffers has these very
colorful plush toys that contain sound boxes.  [Many pet stores have them,
too, but they're half the price from Jeffers.] The race car sounds very much
like a dooking ferret.  My Rikki loves it so much she won't let anyone else
play with it.  Make the sound for her; once she hears it, maybe she'll
imitate it.  The ambulance has a neat sound, too, but not ferret-like.
 
Cher
[Posted in FML issue 2188]