Some ferrets do make a barking noise. It is among the normal ferret
vocalizations.

Actually, long ago I read an article on ancestral sounds. Some sounds
have variations among a range of mammals, birds, and even at times
reptiles. If you think about it we humans use those inflections, too.
A sharp burst is a bark and that is among the old ones. So are purr
(think of cuddly voices rather than the most exaggerated examples which
are among the cats and some birds), scream, hiss, and one or two more
that i forget. Really, really old shared sounds...

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 5775]