For beginner gerbil owners, it is important to know whether gerbils make a lot of noise before either getting one or knowing how to manage the noise if any.
So, are gerbils noisy?
Let’s talk about gerbil noises, whether they are loud, including the different noises that gerbils make and what each noise means.
Do Gerbils Make A Lot Of Noise?
Gerbils don’t make a lot of noise, that is loud noise however they make several low-pitched sounds to communicate with you and with each other. They communicate through body language along with sound.
Do Gerbils Make Sounds? : Gerbil Sounds and What They Mean
Gerbils make sounds from yips and squeaks to chirps and purrs. They produce these sounds as a form of communication to express happiness, pain, fear, or aggression.
Each noise contains a different attempt to communicate with those around them, including you.
The 6 main sounds that gerbils make include:
Squeaking
A gerbil will squeak as a signal for approaching danger to other gerbils, when they are scared, or gearing up for a fight with each other.
They may also produce a squeak when they are not picked up properly or mishandled. This tells you that they want to be let go or that they are feeling pain.
Gerbil chirping
Gerbils chirp most often when they are younger than six months old. They make this noise to get attention from their mother. As they get older the chirping decreases.
Generally gerbils chirp to communicate with each other while playing, fighting, when excited, stressed, in pain or when trying to find each other.
Gerbil purring
Gerbils purr to express comfort and pleasure. The purr is produced differently in comparison to the way a cat purrs. Cats’ purrs are produced from their voice box while a gerbil’s purring sound comes from teeth chattering.
Gerbils purr when they feel happy, relaxed, and not threatened. They produce this sound amongst each other and when you hold them meaning they feel comfortable around you and are happy to be around you.
It is common for gerbils to purr however some never make this noise. These gerbils show their affection to their human owners in other different ways.
Yipping
Gerbils yip when they are at their happiest and most excited. They may also yip to express anger. Observe the other behavior of your gerbil to see if they are angry or excited.
Clicking noise
If your gerbil expresses rhythmic clicking noise when breathing, this means that they have a respiratory infection.
When your gerbil makes a clicking noise, take them to the veterinarian right away. Also, a preventive measure, take your gerbil for yearly check-ups for wellness checks.
Thumping
The thumping sound that gerbils make with their feet is one of their more primal noises. It expresses their need for dominance or mating.
Do gerbils make noise at night?
Gerbils make minimal noise at night. The noise that they produce includes their normal communication sounds and movement within the cage.
They are metaturnal animals meaning they sleep partly during the daytime and at night therefore they usually awake at certain periods during the night. They are also termed as crepuscular animals because the specific time that they are most active is during dawn and dusk.
The sounds made are not loud for some gerbil owners who sleep with their gerbil cages in their bedroom, however, if you are a light sleeper, it is best not to place your gerbil in your bedroom.
Summary
Gerbils communicate through different noises which are not loud. They do not make a lot of noise which is loud noise but they make a lot of noises, meaning they make different sounds to communicate to you and each other.
So the assumption that a gerbil making weird noises makes them loud is untrue because they just make different low-pitched sounds that are not disturbing.
Therefore if you are considering getting a gerbil, be well assured that your small pet will not be noisy. The common sounds that you will hear will only be the low-pitched sounds they make to communicate.