Regardless of how simple and normal we that have been in the chinchilla
world may think a term is ...don't ever think "everyone knows that" ... not all do
... you probably didn't, in the beginning.
After we've been in the 'Chinchilla World' for a while ... the terms we use are
so much a part of our "normal" speech, we forget ... what we did not know in
the beginning. When you look a word up in the dictionary, it will often give you
a very different meaning than the one the same word means in the chinchilla
world.
Remember ... it is much easier to learn, if we understand the terms being
used. I hope the ones below will help you understand more. ;-)
acidophilus - live culture bacteria used to replace the "good bacteria" used to
digest food in the intestines of chinchillas. Often used when chinchillas are on
anti-biotic because anti-biotic will kill all bacteria ... the good and the bad.
allele - a term used in genetics to describe 1 of 2 forms of a gene sharing the
same location making up the chromosomes in the genetic chain. Some alleles
are dominant and some recessive.
blocky - Refers to a chinchilla's overall appearance/shape that is desired in
chinchillas when looking at it from above. The shoulders and hips should be
very close to the same with, having the appearance of a brick.
blue diamond chinchilla - one who is carrying both the sapphire and violet
genes and displaying an obvious blue hue.
breed-back - allowing a female chinchilla to become pregnant while still nursing
the original litter ... straining the resources of the female and the kits being
nursed and trying to form within her ... caused by allowing the male to remain
in the cage after the female gives birth to the kits.
breeder - Anyone who puts two chinchillas of opposite sexes together.
Good Breeder - a breeder that knows what they are doing AND does it properly.
breeding - The act of mating.
breeding situation - any time you put a male chinchilla, 10+ weeks old or older,
with a female chinchilla 4+ months old or older (regardless of relationship) ~ this
can = kits and/or a pregnant dead female chinchilla (because she is to young
and to small) and/or incest and/or the death of a male if another male is in the
same cage/area when the female is in season.
bumblefoot (ulcerative pododermatitis) Bacterial infected sores usually caused
by bacteria entering the body via cracks in the skin, cracks or splits usually
caused by keeping a chin on a wire floor constantly, causing it to get sores or
abscesses on it's feet.
carrier - A chinchilla carrying a single recessive gene from one parent, but no
obvious signs of it in the chinchilla's appearance. (i.e. a standard/violet carrier
looks like a standard, but is carrying a violet gene from one of it's parents).
These are usually know as heterozygous. A chin can carry more than one
recessive gene.
chew blocks - blocks/cuts of untreated pine wood given to chinchillas to chew
on and play with, also needed to help keep the chinchilla's teeth properly worn
down.
chinchilla - an exotic animal in the rodent family, native to the Andes
Mountains, originally prized/hunted for it's fur, a relatively new pet to the pet
world, has softest fur known to man.
chin-proofing – the act of preparing a room/rooms for the free-play outside it's
cage of a chinchilla(s). This includes, but is not limited to:
1. Removing or securing food, chemicals and cleaners that would kill a chin if
eaten or gotten into (some foods we eat, will kill a chinchilla).
2. Closing off any openings 1" square or larger (chins can squeeze into the
smallest of places).
3. Removing or covering any and all containers of liquids, from drinks to a toilet
bowl (chins are not suppose to get wet).
4. Enclosing or unplugging any and all electrical wires (no crispy critters, please).
5. Lay in the floor and get a "chin's eye-view" of all it may find to get into or play
with (chins are curious creatures and avid explorers).
chromosomes - Structures within the center of the cell that house the genes
which determine what a living thing will look like. Chinchillas have 64
chromosomes.
collar - A metal device placed around the female chinchilla's neck to keep her
from getting into the run and getting into another females' cage and possibly
getting into a fight.
conformation - Structure, form, symmetrical shape of the physical chinchilla
when you look at it. Good conformation would be a blocky build ... "like a brick
shape" when viewed from the top and/or sides.
Cross Breeding (out-crossing) - Breeding chinchillas that are not related to each
other.
deluxe mix - A name usually used to describe chinchilla pellets mixed with lots
of treats ... a 'no-no' for your chin.
dominant gene - The gene that determines the outward appearance
(phenotypically) of the chinchilla. The dominant gene cannot be "carried".
dust bath - A container used by a chinchilla to take it's bath in.
dust bath dust - Volcanic ash chinchillas take their bath in to remove the
excess oils in the fur and keep it clean.
dust bath sand - A much harsher substance often used, but NOT
recommended, to give a chinchilla bath in.
exotic pet vet - A veterinarian that has had special training with exotic animals,
not your regular vet that cares for the domestic animals such as cats and dogs.
feline distemper - cat pneumonia - highly contagious and deadly to chinchillas.
A cat can be a carrier of feline distemper and not show the signs of it.
fur rings - Fur that often gathers around the penis of the male chin after
mating. Fur rings need to be removed by the breeder, if the chin does not
remove it. Complications can result if the fur ring tightens or is not removed.
giardia - A deadly parasite that is thought to be dormant in most animals. It is
also known as the 'opportunistic parasite' because it lies in wait until the
system/condition of a chinchilla is down/or weakened, then it will take over,
many times resulting in the death of the chinchilla.
genotype - An animals genetic makeup.
gestation period - The time it takes from conception to the delivery of the kit.
Usually an average of 111 days for chinchillas, but can vary from 105 to 120
days.
grotzen - the veiling on the back of a chinchilla
guard hairs - The 'stiffer', thicker, taller "hairs" that grow all over a chin's body
and help to hold the fur in place, in addition to this they will often give a very
unique look to the overall appearance of the chin. IE: the silver or dark guard
hairs on a white mosaic often give the effect or look of a thin layer of silver
over the white fur.
Gunning black - black velvet, TOV - A chinchilla having a black face, back and
tail, blending on the sides into a gray, then to a snow white belly. The black
velvet has a lethal factor for the kits when bred to another black velvet
chinchilla. The black velvet, when mated with a beige can produce a brown
velvet colored chinchilla also called a TOV beige.
heterozygous - a chinchilla carrying two different forms of a gene/alleles (i.e.
standard/violet carrier)
homozygous - a chinchilla carrying two identical forms of a gene/alleles (i.e. a
violet chinchilla)
hue - the color cast over the fur of a chinchilla. A red hue is undesirable, but a
blue hue is desirable.
inbreeding - Breeding within the immediate family (i.e. father to daughter,
mother to son, sister to brother).
jump hole cover - the cover/door used to block off the jump hole to keep the
male from entering the female's cage after she has delivered her kit/kits and to
keep the kits from being able to wander into other female's cages (something
that can be fatal for a kit).
kit - a baby chinchilla.
lava stone - pumas stone - Used by chinchillas to keep the front teeth worn
down to the proper size.
lethal factor - The term used for what happens when two heterozygous colors
of the same color mate (if that color is white or TOV) that will result in 25% of
eggs not being fertilized.
Line-Breeding - A type of inbreeding, but with the extended family of the
chinchilla (i.e. grandparent to grand child, aunt to nephew, ect).
litter - What the kits are called when a mother chinchilla has when she gives
birth.
Malocclusion - When a chinchilla's teeth have been allowed to become over
grown and have grown into the jaw, tong, and/or brain of a chinchilla. This is
usually a slow painful death.
mating plug - A waxy plug made by the male and left inside the female to keep
the sperm inside the female until it/they have time to fertilize the egg/eggs.
The plug is later pulled out by the female or is expelled and often eaten.
mutation - Any chinchilla that is not a standard gray. Gray is the original color
of all chinchillas.
oestrus cycle - The number of days between two cycles when a female chins
goes into season, usually 25 to 40 days
out-crossing - (cross breeding) - Breeding chinchillas that are not related to
each other.
pinched neck - An undesirable trait in a chinchilla. The chinchilla's neck
appears to "dip" deeply between the head and back.
phenotype - An animal's appearance/characteristics, the way they look.
placenta - afterbirth, a chinchilla mom will usually eat all or most of it
pop-hole - jump hole - The opening in cages for the male to be able to get in
and out of each female's cage in a ranch run.
prime or in-prime - when a chinchilla's fur is at it's best, usually between 9 and
10 months of age the first time. A chinchilla will go/be-in prime about every 8
months after that during it's life span.
pumas stone - lava stone - Used by chinchillas to keep the front teeth worn
down to the proper size.
ranch run - A type of cage that consist of several cages connected by a run
(enclosed wire hallway) used by the male to go from one female's cage to another.
spray - The act of spraying urine by the female in self defense of herself and/or
her kits. Also used to deter the advances of the male and/or to separate her
fighting kits if they are to the point that they might injure each other.
standard - standard gray - the natural color of chinchillas
world may think a term is ...don't ever think "everyone knows that" ... not all do
... you probably didn't, in the beginning.
After we've been in the 'Chinchilla World' for a while ... the terms we use are
so much a part of our "normal" speech, we forget ... what we did not know in
the beginning. When you look a word up in the dictionary, it will often give you
a very different meaning than the one the same word means in the chinchilla
world.
Remember ... it is much easier to learn, if we understand the terms being
used. I hope the ones below will help you understand more. ;-)
acidophilus - live culture bacteria used to replace the "good bacteria" used to
digest food in the intestines of chinchillas. Often used when chinchillas are on
anti-biotic because anti-biotic will kill all bacteria ... the good and the bad.
allele - a term used in genetics to describe 1 of 2 forms of a gene sharing the
same location making up the chromosomes in the genetic chain. Some alleles
are dominant and some recessive.
blocky - Refers to a chinchilla's overall appearance/shape that is desired in
chinchillas when looking at it from above. The shoulders and hips should be
very close to the same with, having the appearance of a brick.
blue diamond chinchilla - one who is carrying both the sapphire and violet
genes and displaying an obvious blue hue.
breed-back - allowing a female chinchilla to become pregnant while still nursing
the original litter ... straining the resources of the female and the kits being
nursed and trying to form within her ... caused by allowing the male to remain
in the cage after the female gives birth to the kits.
breeder - Anyone who puts two chinchillas of opposite sexes together.
Good Breeder - a breeder that knows what they are doing AND does it properly.
breeding - The act of mating.
breeding situation - any time you put a male chinchilla, 10+ weeks old or older,
with a female chinchilla 4+ months old or older (regardless of relationship) ~ this
can = kits and/or a pregnant dead female chinchilla (because she is to young
and to small) and/or incest and/or the death of a male if another male is in the
same cage/area when the female is in season.
bumblefoot (ulcerative pododermatitis) Bacterial infected sores usually caused
by bacteria entering the body via cracks in the skin, cracks or splits usually
caused by keeping a chin on a wire floor constantly, causing it to get sores or
abscesses on it's feet.
carrier - A chinchilla carrying a single recessive gene from one parent, but no
obvious signs of it in the chinchilla's appearance. (i.e. a standard/violet carrier
looks like a standard, but is carrying a violet gene from one of it's parents).
These are usually know as heterozygous. A chin can carry more than one
recessive gene.
chew blocks - blocks/cuts of untreated pine wood given to chinchillas to chew
on and play with, also needed to help keep the chinchilla's teeth properly worn
down.
chinchilla - an exotic animal in the rodent family, native to the Andes
Mountains, originally prized/hunted for it's fur, a relatively new pet to the pet
world, has softest fur known to man.
chin-proofing – the act of preparing a room/rooms for the free-play outside it's
cage of a chinchilla(s). This includes, but is not limited to:
1. Removing or securing food, chemicals and cleaners that would kill a chin if
eaten or gotten into (some foods we eat, will kill a chinchilla).
2. Closing off any openings 1" square or larger (chins can squeeze into the
smallest of places).
3. Removing or covering any and all containers of liquids, from drinks to a toilet
bowl (chins are not suppose to get wet).
4. Enclosing or unplugging any and all electrical wires (no crispy critters, please).
5. Lay in the floor and get a "chin's eye-view" of all it may find to get into or play
with (chins are curious creatures and avid explorers).
chromosomes - Structures within the center of the cell that house the genes
which determine what a living thing will look like. Chinchillas have 64
chromosomes.
collar - A metal device placed around the female chinchilla's neck to keep her
from getting into the run and getting into another females' cage and possibly
getting into a fight.
conformation - Structure, form, symmetrical shape of the physical chinchilla
when you look at it. Good conformation would be a blocky build ... "like a brick
shape" when viewed from the top and/or sides.
Cross Breeding (out-crossing) - Breeding chinchillas that are not related to each
other.
deluxe mix - A name usually used to describe chinchilla pellets mixed with lots
of treats ... a 'no-no' for your chin.
dominant gene - The gene that determines the outward appearance
(phenotypically) of the chinchilla. The dominant gene cannot be "carried".
dust bath - A container used by a chinchilla to take it's bath in.
dust bath dust - Volcanic ash chinchillas take their bath in to remove the
excess oils in the fur and keep it clean.
dust bath sand - A much harsher substance often used, but NOT
recommended, to give a chinchilla bath in.
exotic pet vet - A veterinarian that has had special training with exotic animals,
not your regular vet that cares for the domestic animals such as cats and dogs.
feline distemper - cat pneumonia - highly contagious and deadly to chinchillas.
A cat can be a carrier of feline distemper and not show the signs of it.
fur rings - Fur that often gathers around the penis of the male chin after
mating. Fur rings need to be removed by the breeder, if the chin does not
remove it. Complications can result if the fur ring tightens or is not removed.
giardia - A deadly parasite that is thought to be dormant in most animals. It is
also known as the 'opportunistic parasite' because it lies in wait until the
system/condition of a chinchilla is down/or weakened, then it will take over,
many times resulting in the death of the chinchilla.
genotype - An animals genetic makeup.
gestation period - The time it takes from conception to the delivery of the kit.
Usually an average of 111 days for chinchillas, but can vary from 105 to 120
days.
grotzen - the veiling on the back of a chinchilla
guard hairs - The 'stiffer', thicker, taller "hairs" that grow all over a chin's body
and help to hold the fur in place, in addition to this they will often give a very
unique look to the overall appearance of the chin. IE: the silver or dark guard
hairs on a white mosaic often give the effect or look of a thin layer of silver
over the white fur.
Gunning black - black velvet, TOV - A chinchilla having a black face, back and
tail, blending on the sides into a gray, then to a snow white belly. The black
velvet has a lethal factor for the kits when bred to another black velvet
chinchilla. The black velvet, when mated with a beige can produce a brown
velvet colored chinchilla also called a TOV beige.
heterozygous - a chinchilla carrying two different forms of a gene/alleles (i.e.
standard/violet carrier)
homozygous - a chinchilla carrying two identical forms of a gene/alleles (i.e. a
violet chinchilla)
hue - the color cast over the fur of a chinchilla. A red hue is undesirable, but a
blue hue is desirable.
inbreeding - Breeding within the immediate family (i.e. father to daughter,
mother to son, sister to brother).
jump hole cover - the cover/door used to block off the jump hole to keep the
male from entering the female's cage after she has delivered her kit/kits and to
keep the kits from being able to wander into other female's cages (something
that can be fatal for a kit).
kit - a baby chinchilla.
lava stone - pumas stone - Used by chinchillas to keep the front teeth worn
down to the proper size.
lethal factor - The term used for what happens when two heterozygous colors
of the same color mate (if that color is white or TOV) that will result in 25% of
eggs not being fertilized.
Line-Breeding - A type of inbreeding, but with the extended family of the
chinchilla (i.e. grandparent to grand child, aunt to nephew, ect).
litter - What the kits are called when a mother chinchilla has when she gives
birth.
Malocclusion - When a chinchilla's teeth have been allowed to become over
grown and have grown into the jaw, tong, and/or brain of a chinchilla. This is
usually a slow painful death.
mating plug - A waxy plug made by the male and left inside the female to keep
the sperm inside the female until it/they have time to fertilize the egg/eggs.
The plug is later pulled out by the female or is expelled and often eaten.
mutation - Any chinchilla that is not a standard gray. Gray is the original color
of all chinchillas.
oestrus cycle - The number of days between two cycles when a female chins
goes into season, usually 25 to 40 days
out-crossing - (cross breeding) - Breeding chinchillas that are not related to
each other.
pinched neck - An undesirable trait in a chinchilla. The chinchilla's neck
appears to "dip" deeply between the head and back.
phenotype - An animal's appearance/characteristics, the way they look.
placenta - afterbirth, a chinchilla mom will usually eat all or most of it
pop-hole - jump hole - The opening in cages for the male to be able to get in
and out of each female's cage in a ranch run.
prime or in-prime - when a chinchilla's fur is at it's best, usually between 9 and
10 months of age the first time. A chinchilla will go/be-in prime about every 8
months after that during it's life span.
pumas stone - lava stone - Used by chinchillas to keep the front teeth worn
down to the proper size.
ranch run - A type of cage that consist of several cages connected by a run
(enclosed wire hallway) used by the male to go from one female's cage to another.
spray - The act of spraying urine by the female in self defense of herself and/or
her kits. Also used to deter the advances of the male and/or to separate her
fighting kits if they are to the point that they might injure each other.
standard - standard gray - the natural color of chinchillas
swirl - Referring to an undesirable swirling pattern in the fur.
"Swish-Swish Tail Dance" - The 'antics'/mateing ritual of the male chinchilla
when he wants to mate with the female. During this 'dance' the male chin will
do a little 'hop-hop', then swish his tail from side to side and repeat this until
the female accepts or declines his advances.
teats - The nipples used to nurse the kits. A female chinchilla has two separate
sets, one on each side.
Should one side stop working, the other side will usually still work.
TOV - stands for Touch of Velvet - The reference to a pattern of
coloring/veiling on some beige chinchillas that have black velvet in their family
history. The darker shade of brown covers the face, back and tail of the
chinchilla, blending down the sides to a lighter shades of the beige until it
meets the white fur of the belly. Usually they will have a dark stripe across the
top of the front paws when born that will sometimes fade away. These are
known as brown velvets.
treats - Special food you give your chin at special times - or to bribe him/her
into doing what you want
them to do. These are not to be mixed with their regular chinchilla pellets.
veiling - the fur that covers a chinchilla from the nose, across the back, to the
tail, easily seen in the black velvet, appearing as a wide strip of black, then
blending into shades of gray to the white belly fur. The condition of the veiling
fur is considered when judging chinchillas.
wean - to accustom a young kit to food other than mother's milk, weaning a kit
usually begins about 4 weeks of age (some earlier) and is usually finished by 6
weeks of age (then there are those who will nurse as long as mom's patients will
last - one of mine was still nursing a kit at 4 months of age). Momma chin will
take care of the weaning, she knows best.
whelping cage - an enclosure made of wire (a cage) usually about 15" x 15" x 24"
- a chin mom needs to be in a whelping cage when she gives birth to her kits
and they need to stay there until they can safely maneuver a regular size cage.
Kits are born fully furred, eyes open and are playing within the hour. Within
the first 12 hours most kits will climb to the top of the cage, turn loose and drop
to the bottom ... they can climb up, but not down ... they fall down. Whelping
cages should be no taller than 15 inches and have plenty of bedding in the
bottom to soften the fall.
white - a "white", in reference to a chinchilla, is one that has white fur, other
than just on the belly. This includes the pink white, the white mosaic and the
reverse mosaic.
"Wilson White" - also known as White, Silver, Mosaic, Reverse Mosaic - This
refers to the color of chinchilla's fur ranging from an almost all white to a solid
silver color. Sometimes the white fir is 'tipped' in gray or has gray guard hairs or
can be mostly gray with some white on the tail and other spots. It has varying
patters or spots of gray, gray ears, gray pads and dark eyes. This chinchilla
when mated with another white chinchilla carries the lethal factor.
Wrap - A chinchilla that has an Ebony gene that causes the color of the belly to
match (or very closely match) the color of the back. The chinchilla is the same
color all over.
uterus - Chinchillas have two of these and has the capability to carry kits in
both at the same time.
More will be added as I think of them, or someone suggest them!
superfoetation - The fertilization during the
same season/oestrus cycle of an additional
egg/eggs several days after the original
embryo is already started developing in one
of the two uterus. This is rare, but does
happen. Usually the latter one will be born
either obviously much smaller or may not
have enough time to develop fully and will
appear as a still birth. More detailed
information on this can be see on Azure
Chinchillas at:
http://www.azure-chinchillas.co.uk/pages/s
uperfoetation.php There have also been
cases where there is the fertilization of
another egg/eggs in the second uterus in
the following cycle ... as a general rule,
these are not developed enough to survive,
but will be expelled (miscarried) during the
labor which delivers the kits in the first
uterus.
To the right is a picture of a perfect
example. This is a brother and sister born
the same day. It is very rare for the smaller
one to be born alive, this one was, but did
pass away less than 72 hours later.
same season/oestrus cycle of an additional
egg/eggs several days after the original
embryo is already started developing in one
of the two uterus. This is rare, but does
happen. Usually the latter one will be born
either obviously much smaller or may not
have enough time to develop fully and will
appear as a still birth. More detailed
information on this can be see on Azure
Chinchillas at:
http://www.azure-chinchillas.co.uk/pages/s
uperfoetation.php There have also been
cases where there is the fertilization of
another egg/eggs in the second uterus in
the following cycle ... as a general rule,
these are not developed enough to survive,
but will be expelled (miscarried) during the
labor which delivers the kits in the first
uterus.
To the right is a picture of a perfect
example. This is a brother and sister born
the same day. It is very rare for the smaller
one to be born alive, this one was, but did
pass away less than 72 hours later.
| Common Terms & Their Meanings Used in the Chinchilla World |
| Example of Superfoetation Here is a brother and sister, born the same day to the same mother chinchilla. The dark tan kit weighed 74 grams at birth. The smaller ebony chin weighed only 18 grams at birth. (The smallest live birth I have seen.) |
| Return to Luv 'N Chins home page. |