Gerbil stamping foot

Joanne87

Hi,
I got three gerbils last week and have just noticed one of them repeatedly stamping his foot on the floor of tank. I heard the same noise during the night but didn't know what it was.
Is it a sign of something? Our rabbit used to do it too, when she was scared. But there was nothing to scare him either last night or just now, no loud noises or lights going on suddenly or anything. Is it normal gerbil behaviour?
Thanks

Nerin

He wants to dance friend had gerbils,if i recall correctly he might just be bored

boomerang

The gerbil is apprehensive and is sending out a warning call to the other gerbils.

(No, I didn't just make that up - rabbits do it too!)


Edited to add: From the American Gerbil Society's webpage...


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.

Nerin

So my friends gerbil was horny...

Sigma Force

Usually they do it to warn other gerbils if they get freaked out but do please sex the gerbils and ensure they are all the same sex otherwise it's a nightmare.

Joanne87

Thanks everyone, all three are males by the way. So I guess he was warning the others about something. :rolleyes: