Hissy Fits

I read in Ferrets for Dummies by Kim Schilling that when a ferret gets really possessive and obsessed over a particular toy, they will let the other ferrets know by walking around with it and hissing.

Rudyard has never done this. I don't know if it is because I was unable to observe it while he and Edgar were together, or if it something he just doesn't do. He's very quiet and not terrible talkative.

Sam and I were hoping to see some competitive toy action, but after a couple weeks of integrating Jack into the "family" we were starting to think it just wouldn't happen. Rudyard wasn't doing it to Jack, and Jack was too busy running about being a doofus.

And now, not just five minutes ago, I heard two ferret hisses right after each other coming from behind the drawer. In case you don't know, a ferret hiss starts off like a low bird screech. The first time I heard a ferret hiss, I had startled Rudyard and he backed up into a corner instinctively. His little mouth opened up, his canines glistening at me. The noise came from deep down in his throat.

This hiss, this soft bird screech if you will, came from under the dresser. Oh lawd, I'm thinking, the boys are finally fighting.

Jack dibsed hisself the tiny squeaky tennis balls. Rudyard never showed much interest in those things, probably because he can't hear the squeaks. Jack had stashed the tennis balls under the dresser and Rudyard had followed him in, thinking maybe it was apart of a game.

Jack sent out a warning hiss. Rudyard can't hear. Jack sent it out again.
Rudyard still can't hear it. He's deaf. He's just standing there, looking at Jack like What's your deal?

It is exciting to me to watch some standard textbook behavior. I don't know why. I mean, there is standard textbook behavior aplenty going on; it's not that I'm missing out. It's just very fun to find the previously documented behaviors and watch them play out. Maybe its similar to how "all little children" go through some sort of "phase," and it can be very cute for the parents to watch. Or horrific. I don't know.

Personality behaviors are also great, though. Those are more fun than being able to identify textbook behavior.

Right now Rudyard and Jack are playing in their collapsible house in the closet. I'm glad they like that thing. It was hard to get Rudyard to play in it any, but maybe that was because he didn't have another furrt to go tromping about with.

Well, he does now. And boy-howdy, I think he likes it.