Hissing?

[BuffyJo]

Loki has started making a new noise. It's like a cross between a cat hissing and a dog's silent beg/whine.

The first time I heard it he did it towards one of the dog's stuffed animals. I had taken out of Loki's stash..he hissed at it several times while dragging it back to his cage.

He's done it to Franco too. While chasing him and from under the entertainment center (where I suspect there is a hoard of balls and toys) Also when he was in Franco's cage. Franco was asleep in the hammock, Loki kept looking in there like he wanted to hop in with him, but he'd hiss instead...do some circles, look in again and hiss again.

The boys have never cuddled together unless it's on our laps. They have separate cages. The cages are usually open but neither ever uses the others' cage for pooping or sleeping.

I'm just not sure if this is an angry noise, a happy noise, sad noise or frustrated noise. Any suggestions?

[Deleted]

Mine don't hiss much but I think it's pretty normal when they have a toy or some item they don't want you to touch or take away. Wait to see what others say too but seems normal to me

[Heather]

You don't mention the age of your Loki.....he sounds adorable. Hissing often doesn't mean what we consider as "Cat" conversation. Cats hiss to show displeasure. Ferrets hiss to show displeasure, frustration, fun and games, play....they just hiss. Not all ferrets hiss as a conversation but the ones that choose to, will do this as a method of showing any number of emotions. Minion used to be my "hisser" and he only hissed when he was having fun. He dooked if he was angry, but he was a blind waardy. Merrida, is my wee poley hisser....she only hisses if she's pulling one over on you or her siblings She will also hiss if you break up her fun (usually chasing the cat). Her father has a strange hissing squeeking sound. It actually reminds me of the meepers sound when they're telling mom they're either hungry or uncomfortable. It's a sound he makes when he's being forced to do something he doesn't want to....like getting his nails done
ciao

[msav]

my deaf ferrets make a shoosh noise. like your shooshing someone who is talking too loudly.

they do it too my dog when she corners them. you can barely hear it. it is too cute.

[BuffyJo]

Glad to know it's normal! He's only started doing it since we've had Franco, so a couple weeks. I was just hoping it's not him hissing because he's wanting to fight or if he's scared. He doesn't seem aggressive while he's doing it.

[BuffyJo]

Loki is 8 months old. Our new guy Franco is over a year old..but considerably smaller. You can tell Loki is younger even though he's bigger.

Loki is a hoot watching him. He's not as cuddly anymore because he's so busy. He has small stuffed animals that he takes care of all the time. He gathers them all up and takes them to the top shelf in his cage. Then he takes them one by one back down to the dirty litter box. Then puts them in the other litter box that he digs in. He sleeps with them there sometimes but eventually they end up either in the spare sling or back on the top shelf.

We thought another ferret would be good for him, so they could cuddle and play. They get along well running around, But they both stick to their own cages. If we get another ferret we'll probably have to get a separate cage, I think our guys like having their own bedrooms.

[Heather]

They sound adorable and very well adjusted My babies, even though they were raised together and have the opportunity to sleep together, especially when they're playing upstairs (the girls are housed together, Radagast is housed separately....naughty boys have to sleep by themselves)they rarely actually sleep together. They're very independent creatures, even though we like to keep them in family groups.
ciao

[BuffyJo]

I would like for them to be more cuddly!!

Loki is like an independent toddler now. Franco was super cuddly when we first got him, but that could have been because he was sickly..or now he's just more comfortable and wants to go exploring. Franco getting attention has made Loki a little jealous..or curious, so he hasn't been trying to escape cuddles quite as often as he used to.

Franco is surprisingly well adjusted for what he's gone through. He is friendly with kids and animals, only potties in his cage, doesn't nip, and he's been really good about switching to raw...if you dont count when he's acting like a cat food junkie

[Deleted]

Ferrets make all kinds of strange noises. Dooking, booping, hissing, and can even bark. My Juliet Honks. My Mika is a hisser. She hisses when she is inviting play, she hisses to get someone from jumping on her and I have even seen her hiss at little balls that are just sitting there minding their own business. She just likes hissing.

They may choose to sleep together eventually. Ferrets take their time becoming friends and it might take some time before they want to sleep together. Since they have a choice, becaue you have two cages, they will use it.

All of mine are free roam and have sleeping spots that they prefer. Sometimes they all sleep together in their bed. Sometimes, Roamy and Wynstan sleep in the tub together. Mika and Keller have a drawer that I use to keep napkins in and they love that spot. Roamy likes my bottom drawer and Juliet has a chair that she slips up and into.

What I do to help Roamy with jealousy and he does get jealous and aggressive, when someone new comes home is to always give him the first hug or the first bite of food. Juliet is the Queen and rules the roost, but Roamy is sensitive. So, whenever everyone is together, I do things in the order that they arrived. It seems to help Roamy and might also make Loki feel less jealous.

I'm so glad that Franco is doing so well. He just needed a safe, Happy and Healthy home. I'm very happy that you gave that to him.

[BuffyJo]

Thanks. Now that Franco is settled in more I really should put more focus back on Loki. I feel a little bad now..poor guy. I probably should have been letting him out first the whole time but I have been babying Franco. Loki was my baby before! He's been so independent lately I just thought maybe he would welcome the time without mom bugging him haha but he's been really kissy on dad lately so he's probably missing my attention lol.

I have a princess in my house. We have 2 rescue Poms. I'm still not allowed to talk to our 2nd one, Emma, first. When we first got her Josie was majorly jealous and I couldn't even acknowledge Emma's existence without Josie bark attacking. She isn't really very jealous of the ferrets and leaves them alone..if they don't enter her 9 square area under the table or her spot on the couch. Luckily we have enough people here to give everyone gets special attention from someone.

I keep reading about everyone's herds of ferrets and it makes me feel like we need at least 1 more. 3 seems like it would be a healthy dynamic. There is an ADORABLE black baby with a little white around his nose at one of the pet stores but they want nearly $300 for him. I'd rather have a rescue. All of our pets, except for Loki, are rescues. But Loki was the last ferret at Petco, and he had just gotten taken out of their "hospital" because he had been sick...and after 3 days home our Vet put him on antibiotics. So...he is kind of a rescue, we rescued him from Petco and from a potential owner who might not have even taken him to the vet or who would have returned him.

[Deleted]

Ferret Math on the Forum is very contagious. That baby sounds adorable, but $300 is asking alot. Maybe you could negotiate with the owner of the store. Sometimes we find a little one somewhere and there is a connection. You never forget them. We all have one or two that we regret not bringing home and always remember them.

lol, Herd of Ferrets. Did you know that a bunch of Ferrets is called a Business?

Poms are beautiful. Emma and Josie must wonder just what the heck, you've brought home.

[msav]

$300 for a ferret. what is He made of gold?

Sorry Poncesmom. I just can't stop with the puns. They are now hopping from thread to thread.

for those that missed it, I have a golden ferret.

[BuffyJo]

Haha I've heard they were called businesses. SO thinks we should claim the ferrets as part of our business expenses.

I should try to talk them down on the ferret, but if he poops gold I doubt they'll budge on the price.

[Deleted]

msav, you have a seriously funny (oxymoron anyone ?) sense of humor.,
Boy, pooping gold would be wonderful. five ferrets times every 3-4 hours...of course we'd all go back to kibble for bigger poops.

Buffy, my husband is working on taxes now, that's a great idea. I'll tell him to put down our five for "Business" expenses. lol