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Gerbils are one of the best social creatures to have as pets, and as such, they communicate frequently through vocalizations. If you have them in your home as pets and you do not learn to interpret certain recurring sounds, then you are in for a hell of a ride.

But if you learn their sounds well, you are now a step further in understanding them.

Gerbils make a sound to communicate with their pairs and also their owners. These sounds include chirping, squeaking, purring, chattering, yipping thumping, etc. the one they do the most among these sounds is chirping and squeaking.

What do your gerbils mean when they make these sounds? Some sounds are quite disturbing, so it is better if you know and recognize them on time. Find out all about them as we delve into the life of Gerbils and their sounds.

Squeaking

Many people ask the reason for the squeaking of their pet gerbils when they are carried or picked up. Most times, they squeak because they feel threatened by their environment or surroundings. If the squeaking becomes loud, that might mean they are in danger, stuck somewhere, or a predator is around.

If the squeaks are continuous, then it must mean they are in pain, so they take to the hospital. If there are abrupt changes in their surroundings, for instance, if there is an unfamiliar person is around your pet gerbils would also squeak. If you have just gotten a gerbil, try to interact with them so you can understand and know them.

They also squeak when they are hostile to one another and are ready to fight. Once they start squeaking, then be prepared for a serious fight. If the gerbils' fight spiral out of control, it is best to separate them and place them in different cages. Your gerbils will most likely make squeaking sounds when they are new to a surrounding. Interact with them regularly so they can trust you and stop squeaking.

Chirping

If you have gerbils at home, then you must have heard them make chirping sounds. It is a high-pitched sound, but it varies from loud to quiet. They might chirp many times over a long period, once or many times over in quick succession. The exact nature of chirping depends on the circumstances in which it is done.

Gerbils are communicative creatures that must 'talk' to live in their environment. Some have said you cannot hear their noises because it is so high-pitched that they are outside the range of human hearing.

All their communication sounds sound like chirping, but that is not the case. There's no limit to the number of times gerbils should or can chirp for. They also chirp for various reasons and to know what they might stand for is based on the following. The frequency of the chirps, the volume of it, and the number of them chirping at the same time.

One reason they chirp is when they are fighting. It might be difficult to tell when your gerbils are playfully fighting or they are fighting for real. Some hints for their fighting are when there’s boxing, wrestling, and standoffs.

If they are fighting for real, they would pin each other to a surface or be chasing one another to bite themselves instead of simply playing. Also, if it is real fighting their chirping is more urgent, louder, and quicker.

When your gerbils are in pain, they also make chirping sounds. If they are stressed or hurt, as an instinctual reaction, they chirp very loudly. If they are injured or ill, it will the worst.

They don't even move or make a sound when they are sick, but as soon as you carry them, they squeal and squeak disturbingly. If they are doing it because they are hurt, then you need to know where hurt as soon as possible.

It is also a sound that's made when they are seeking attention from their mothers or owners so they can be acknowledged. They might just need a little betting and teasing, or they are hungry or thirsty. So you have to recognize the sounds to know what they want.

Yipping

Yipping sounds are a powerful form of sign that your gerbils are thrilled or excited to play with humans. This is a very positive sound and so if you are performing the action that made your gerbils respond like that, then you should keep doing it. Never forget that they are very social and so they need proper playtime and interaction with humans or other gerbils.

Chattering/ Gnawing/ Chewing

As a gerbil owner, chattering or chewing is another common sound they all make at one point or the other. Gerbils are avid chewers like other rodents, and they can chew their cage furnishings away if care isn’t taken.

Chattering is a way by which gerbils communicating the feeling of satisfaction and contentment. Once you hear teeth-clicking sounds, try to immediately make treats or their real food is available. If it is the case that they have eaten, then get toys they can chew on so they destroy nothing important.

Thumping

Thumping is made by gerbils, and it is made by both male and female gerbils for different reasons. If your gerbils pat their hind legs on any surface, that’s a thumping sound, and it shows that they are raising an alarm or warning.

However, it is for a different reason when your male gerbil makes a thumping sound around a female gerbil. This indicates a kind of mating ritual that gerbils normally perform. If the sound is disturbing, you can remove anything around the cage that can trigger the gerbils.

In understanding and recognizing these sounds distinctively, make sure you have more than one pet gerbil. This is because these social creatures are family orientated and will be depressed without a friend or friends to communicate with.