Twitchy/jumpy gerbils

[barryozzy]

I have one female who has always been kinda twitchy or jumpy. She is extremely friendly and pretty reckless but sometimes runs fast or jumps suddenly. I have to make sure I hold her over the cage because she will have some kind of moment and suddenly dash and fall on the floor. She doesn't seem spooked exactly but just like she couldn't hold it together. Has anyone else had any gerbils like this or know what it could be? One of her brothers was like this as well. 

[Thelodar]

That could be normal fearful behavior or excited gerbil zoomies (usually with "popcorning"). Fearful gerbils will display very jerky motion and will frequently dart to a safe place. On the other hand very excited gerbils will dart back and forth suddenly over smaller areas and sometimes pop into the air gleefully. I've seen it mainly in younger gerbils. The first time I saw it happen I thought it was something neurological, but nope, just the gerbil being silly.