I have a ferret named Sam. He has always been a hisser. He will hiss while playing and he hisses at me when I have to get him down from someplace he shouldn't be. He doesn't dook at all he hisses. With him it is more of a challenge or a dissapointment. Whe he is playing with the others and play gets rough <G> he sill hiss as he leaps through the air and rolls the other over. It is quite comical with him. My ferret Tikki never hisses and she means business. There is never a warning when she attacks on of the other ferrets that are not her cagemates. Her attacks are quite serious. You just have to watch and pay close attention and try to determine how the hiss is intended. Each ferret seems to have a different intent behind his or her hiss. Don't know if any of this makes sense or helps. Good luck Terry and the Sweet 16 [Posted in FML issue 1874]