Below we have a glossary of common Chinchilla Cage related words and terms, we provide these A-Z definitions so that you may understand the meaning of these words, most of which are uncommon words in normal language but in terms of Chinchillas and their cages, these are common expressions and words.
Chinchilla Cage
Accessories: Items that enhance your Chinchilla cage and help your Chinchilla, cage accessories include exercise wheel, branches, chew toys, shelves, trays.
Agouti: The name for the alternating light and dark bands on the Chinchilla hair.
Albino: An individual Chinchilla which lacks all coloring. He appears all white with reddish eyes and very pale skin underneath his white hair.
Alfalfa: A plant that makes a good food source for your Chinchilla. He usually gets this in the form of hay.
Bath (Chinchilla bath): The container in which the dust is housed for the Chinchilla dust bath.
Cage (Chinchilla cage): The container which houses and keeps your Chinchilla enclosed.
Cataract: A whitish area on the eyes of some older Chinchilla. It reflects a growing deterioration of their vision.
Caviomorph: A type of rodent. Guinea pigs and Chinchillas are part of this group.
Cecum: An enlarged part of the digestive tract located between the small and large intestines, where a population of beneficial microbes help to break down the plant matter of the Chinchilla’s diet.
Chin: A short nickname for Chinchillas, usually used by breeders as well as pet owners.
Colony: A group of Chinchillas living together.
Crepuscular: Descriptive of an animal who becomes active around dusk.
Cusp: The raised area on the Chinchilla molar teeth.
Exercise wheel: A broad, solid wheel with a flat edge which allows Chinchillas to exercise in their house.
Exotics veterinarian: A veterinarian who specializes in treating exotic animals, like your Chinchilla.
Gestation: The period following Chinchilla mating which starts at conception and ends with birth.
Hay cubes: Compressed hay eaten by Chinchillas.
Heatstroke: A physical and dangerous health condition to which Chinchillas are extremely vulnerable. Caused by being kept in an environment that is too hot.
Hormones: Chemical messengers produced in one location of the body and carried to various other locations as needed.
Incisors: The two long front teeth of the Chinchilla, present in the center of the top and bottom jaws.
Kit: A baby Chinchilla.
Lactation: The period during which a female Chinchilla produces milk for her babies.
Malocclusion: A deviation of the incisor teeth. In Chinchillas, this may mean that the animal will need its teeth trimmed back on a regular basis in order to eat properly.
Molars: Known as the “cheek teeth” on the Chinchilla, present at the back of this mouth.
Molt: Shedding of hairs from the Chinchilla’s coat, usually as a part of a regular seasonal pattern.
Mosaic: Form of coloring on the Chinchilla with white and dark-colored areas in the coat.
Mutation: A change in the Chinchilla’s appearance or other genetically passed trait that can be passed from one generation to the next.
Myomorph: The largest group of the rodent family which includes mice and rats.
Nest Box: Chinchilla sleeping area composed of wood. Also called a den.
Nocturnal: An animal that is active at night and usually sleeps most of the day.
Parasite: An organism that lives off another.
Ranch chinchillas: Chinchillas raised for their fur.
Rancher: A Chinchilla breeder whose purpose is to harvest their fur.
Rodent: An individual belonging to the order Rodentia. This is the largest division of mammals.
Timothy: A type of grass which Chinchillas eat.
Veiling: The way the Chinchilla’s main coloration envelops his body.
Wood Shavings: Used as the best type of Chinchilla bedding for its cage.