Hi Michael . . .
 
Well, the books say ferrets hiss out of fear.  But I have to disagree with
that.  My male Pepper hisses purely out of attitude.  If I'm holding him and
he wants to get down . . .  HSSSSS!
 
If the dog approaches him and he's not in the mood for her . . . HSSSSS!
 
He hisses at Mort, his cage mate, while they're romping, and Pepper's a fat
boy--there's no way he's afraid of skinny, 13 wk old Mort!
 
Pepper just likes the sound of his own hiss, I swear.  He dooks a lot more
since Mort came to live with us, but hissing is still his favorite form of
expression.
 
Mort, on the other hand, hasn't discovered that he can hiss.  And maybe he
won't!  But he sure squeaks and chatters a whole lot--just like the ferrets
on Beastmaster.
 
I used to see that movie and scoff at the noisy ferts, saying things like,
"they don't make noises like that"--HA-HA, Mort certainly does.
 
When something scares Pepper, he BARKS.  It's a shocking noise that just
about blows our eardrums out.  Amazing volume of noise from such a small
thing.  Well, not that 4 lbs is particularly small .  .  .
 
--Sherri
 
PS--Pepper never, ever bites, either.  He's the sweetest, mellowest ferret
I've ever had.  Just a big fat luv.
[Posted in FML issue 1831]