Funny. Yafe loves to hiss in his tank. When I tap him with the hook and when I got pick him up, I often get a long and pronounced hisssssssssssss or two or three. However, once out and about, not at all.
Additionally, though he is fond of drama, he's never struck at me, even when little. He's really a sweet guy, but just likes to be vocal about getting bothered I guess.
Behira, my female BI, likes to huff a little every once in a while, but not nearly as dramatic as Yafe. Of course, she's a lot bigger, so I respect her, but don't fear her. She also very rarely does it and it's usually short lived.
If I had to choose between bites or hisses, I'll take hisses every time.