Why Gerbil Thump

There are two reasons gerbils thump: to warn other gerbils in their colony of danger or in sexual excitement. When alarmed or excited, gerbils will make a rhythmic thumping sound with their hind feet.

Usually only one gerbil in an enclosure will do this while the others perk up their ears and listen. It's really amusing when you have several tanks of gerbils and one gerbil will thump an alarm, and another in another aquarium will thump back! It's their way of communicating danger.

Gerbils produce this thump by stomping both their feet on the ground. It is amazing how loud and how long they can thump.

While we may not be able to differentiate between the two types of thumps, gerbils can certainly tell the difference.

While an alarm thump may produce a chorus of warning thumps, a mating thumps will often go ignored.