My own two cents on the hicupping issue:
 
Both Malachai and Billy hiccup occasionally (Mal more than Bill), and, at
least for our two guys, we seem to have figured out the stimulus:
frustration!
 
If Malachai's having fun trotting around the room and has a specific
destination in mind, and is intercepted by one of us pet humans who want to
cuddle him and get some ferret love, he'll start <hic>-ing in frustration.
Put him down and let him be on his way, and the hiccups disappear. Same thing
happens with Bill, although less frequently, since Bill's more of a squirmer
and communicates irritability in that way, while Mal's usually a lap rat.
 
So perhaps on occasion those of you with hiccuping ferrets might just be the
recipients of a reproachful communication about the advisability of thwarting
your pets when they have ferret work to do!
 
Bob & Juliana
<and Malachai and Baby Billie Bob>
 
[Posted in FML issue 0866]