Hissing

Question
QUESTION: My 16 month old ferret jill has started hissing, not at me but at her toys! She recently had a run in with another jill at a local ferret show a few months back, and it has really scarred her. She now makes hissing sounds (like a drawing in of breath and a fast shhhhh sound out?). I don't know how to stop it. She gets on well with all animals except that one ferret who bullied her, she loves people and is usually not scared. Except for her toys! Could she just be acting out on her toys?
ANSWER: Hello, thank you for your question! Wow, this sounds very interesting. As long as she is not hissing at you or other animals and is only hissing at her inanimate objects, it should be okay. In my experience ferrets either hiss as a warning or to one up you on dominance (Like they know you're their mommy but they want to be rebellious and not care about your authority.) When my ferrets play-fight, the two males constantly try to re-establish who's the alpha male. If one of them gets the other in a scruff of-the-neck-head-lock, the other hisses because they don't want to submit by yawning. So if a ferret hisses at you I think it's kind of the same thing, and if she does this, scruff her and make sure she yawns or she'll think she's the boss. (Unless of course she's wildly trying to bite you, then there's a much bigger problem than just dominance!)

But luckily she's not hissing at you, and there is also a difference between the long hiss you [very well!] described and the short playing hisses they sometimes make. Also it could be that she just discovered hissing and now likes to talk a lot, although I have never seen a constantly hissing ferret. So if she's hissing at the toys I think she's definitely throwing her weight around with them, even though they are not alive (think of it as a self-esteem boost). It is unfortunate the other ferret scared her, usually ferrets love meeting new furries. Maybe you could try having her meet some other, nicer ferrets to show her there's nothing to be scared of, maybe she'll stop. But for now don't worry, although it is strange behavior. Hope I've helped, let me know if you have any more questions!

~sheila

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you! I thought it may just be a vocal thing, she has learnt that she can hiss and now wants to do it playing with toys! So maybe it isnt a domineering thing, she certainly hasent done anything to me that warrents punnishment. Also, another problem concerning hissing - the reason why i was shocked was i thought she had some sort of conjestion in her lungs!!!LOL But then I realised its most probably hissing, as the vet said she is fine. So its bahavioural.
When she was a few months old i was carrying her through the hallway and she was on my shoulders (thinking she would grip on like a pet rat) and she fell, and hissed and spreyed her tail and let off her spray - so I know a little about the hissing:)Her hissing now is not like her hiss then, this time its less loud.
It is strange, but she is quite vocal most times, she is so funny! Bless her soul:)

Thanks again:) Liz.  

Answer
Hello, (I wasn't sure if you wanted a response or not so I'm replying anyway) You're welcome, glad I could help! Yes, we are usually used to ferrets being extremely quiet, so it is strange when we hear some of the weird sounds they make! So like I said, nothing to worry about. Even though ferrets do and can have respiratory problems, they in general cough and sneeze a lot anyway (among other strange throat noises!). Just be sure she doesn't get too bold and start hissing at you, one of my guys did that once he learned he could hiss and throw his weight around with the other ferrets, he started hissing at me! Bad ferret :) (SO like a two year old kid who learns the word "no" and starts using it all the time..) Well it's not punishment to ensure they know who's the boss, they establish their own pecking order among themselves anyway. And just like kids they like to test boundaries, but I think they feel secure knowing you're in charge after all. Anyway, glad I helped, please don't hesitate if you ever have anymore questions!

~sheila