Why gerbils thump

Published : 14 November Issue Date : July Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:. Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative. Skip to main content. Search SpringerLink Search. Download PDF. Granger Authors Chris Spatz View author publications.

View author publications. Not unlike people, some gerbils just cannot seem to get along. This is true even for families.

Young gerbils in the wild are sent off to find their territories, so family groups may begin fighting as the babies mature. If so, they need to be separated.

If you have a single gerbil , or if one of a pair dies, it can be very difficult to introduce a new gerbil , especially mature i. It is best to keep a group of similarly aged gerbils that are raised together from a young age, but if you need to introduce older gerbils, then there is a certain way to do it.

Often, if you have a gerbil older than 10 weeks, it is easiest to introduce a youngster less than 10 weeks , although older gerbils can sometimes be successfully introduced. However, sometimes certain gerbils just don't get along, so if gerbils persist in fighting it may be necessary to just keep them separated.

This is something gerbils do when they are excited or stressed, as a warning to other gerbils. The thumping is produced by pounding both hind legs on the ground. Often, if one gerbil is startled and begins thumping described as a quick "da-dum, da-dum" sound , others in the enclosure or room will also begin thumping. It varies in loudness and tempo, depending on the urgency or meaning, but can be quite loud considering the small creature that produces the sound.

The infectious nature of the thumping means that if some activity in the home produces a rhythmic thumping or clicking type noise, the gerbils may join in. Young gerbils may do quite a bit of thumping, but often it seems that it is just a learning activity rather than a danger warning. Thumping is also an important part of the mating ritual. Gerbils will often groom themselves, including one another.

As well as the benefits to their coats, this is an important part of their social interaction. They also appreciate being offered sand for taking a dust bath they will roll and play in the sand, which helps clean their fur.

Gerbils make a high-pitched squeak—but mainly as youngsters. Adults usually vocalize only when playing, excited or stressed. If he hears aggressive thunder coming in from the window, he may stomp his feet, as well.

The mere ringing of the telephone may even trigger a startled reaction in a poor gerbil. If a gerbil stomps his feet, it can indicate that he wants to mate and is totally prepared to do so.

He also may repeat the thumping act once he is through with the act of mating, as well. Unlike "alarm" stomping sounds, however, these thumps are very quiet and hard to hear.

Because of the quietness, other nearby gerbils also do not emulate "mating" stomps in the way they do with warning stomps.

Gerbil youngsters that live with their parents also may do a lot of foot stomping, even if there is no sign of a threat or danger at all. Since gerbils develop an understanding of foot stomping through observing their elders, the wee ones may just be mimicking mom and dad -- nothing more, nothing less.