History of Nuedai (part one)

2001 - 2002

We were then known as Rockwell Rodentry.

Our specialties were American Brindle, Siamese/Himalayan, Rex & Texel, Manx, Broken, Irish, Variegated, and pretty much anything we could get our hands on.

We were members of the Rat & Mouse Fanciers for Excellence (Inactive Club)

2001 - It Starts.
I was 17 and a senior in high school. My boyfriend, who later became my husband was always with me on my mouse trips. I acquired my first mouse, a little PEW named Avalon. She was purchased from a local pet store called Animal Medical Supply. This purchase started the bug. Avalon was pregnant and gave birth to 4 little pinkies! All PEW males, one of which was missing his tail and back right foor. This was our little mouse Ellis. Our second pet store purchase was a Cinnamon from The Fish Tank (out of business). This was Horatio (pictured left). Our next few purchases consisted of a black female (The Fish Tank) named Survilla and an American Brindle named Monster (Pet Smart, MS). Monster was an exciting find the day after Thanksgiving in 2001.

There was a little mishap on the trip that acquired Monster. Since it was the day after Thanksgiving, we called PetSmart before making the hour long drive to confirm that they did indeed have mice available. The woman on the phone confirmed that they had lots of mice! She told me they had all sorts of cream colored and black and white spotted ones! I was overjoyed! Upon our arrival, we asked a sales clerk where the mice were, and he informs us that there were none. Much to my dismay, I tell him the name of the sales associate who had told me there were lots of mice. He pulls her over, only to discover that she was talking about Dwarf Hamsters on the phone. Her only comment for her mishap was "What's the difference?" I immediately shot back, "I can't breed those to the mice that I have at home!" The sales clerk who told us there were no mice, went to double check and uncovered a single American Brindle. He was dubbed Monster and came home with us.

Monster and Avalon had a litter that produced a beautiful little Brindle girl we dubbed RWR Bluetail Fly or Fly for short. Horatio and Survilla produced a Dove boy that touched us named Gaberiel. Some of our other acquisitions that year brought us King, an unmarked Brindle from PetSmart, and Marty, a silver Caracul from PetSmart (what a find!).

2002 - The Search For Broken Marked
It amazes me now how extremely difficult it had been to find something as simple as Broken Marked mice! I thought about paying for shipping for some. I was constantly searching at PetSmart for the coveted color. Then in a chance mating between Fly and Marty, I get a tiny little Argente girl in the litter. At first, I thought the discoloration of her fur was a dirt spot. When it didn't come off I realized Fly had given me my first Broken Marked mouse! She was named RWR Zues's Cookie (Cookie for short - pictured left). I had wanted very dearly to breed her to another Broken mouse, and upon a chance find at a pet store in Hattiesburg, MS called Pet Palace, I found multiple Black & White Broken Marked mice. I purchased, what I was told was, 2 males and a female: Souffle', Oreo, and Othello. Upon later inspection (and an attempt to met her with Cookie), it was discovered that Souffle was, in fact, also female. Oh, the mistakes we make when we are new the fancy.

2002 brought us some fantastic finds that were exciting to someone new to the fancy like me. I already know that this story has some of the more experienced breeders snickering. Shame on you if you don't remember the original joys of what started your mouse breeding. Shame on you if you don't remember what it felt like to acquire that first variety you had admired on the internet for so long! There is nothing wrong with remembering the excitement and the spark that started you in this fancy, and if you lose that spark then you have no business breeding. If you can't feel that joy everytime you acheive a new goal, whether its acquiring your first spotted mouse or breeding that perfect show specimen, then you will never really be a GOOD mouse breeder. A good breeder's mice reflect their passion for this hobby, whether that passion is to breed the perfect show mouse or to have the best tempered mice in the fancy.

In 2002, I acquired my first satin mouse, Sylan (pictured left). A friend of mine had made a trip to Jackson, and I had asked her that if she found any spotted mice to pick them up for me. She did not find any spotted mice, but called me about this gorgeous grey mouse she found that was very shiny and changed colors when he moved. I knew then she had found a satin and was estactic! The next day I met my new Satin mouse, and named him Sylan (after the Sylvan Learning Center - don't ask!). Sylan was bred to Cookie and produced a great litter of 4 females, 2 broken Argentes, 1 satin broken Argente, and 1 broken dove.

Other mice from 2002 included Elvis (longhair black), Curly Sue (rex agouti), Bermuda (satin broken argente), Cake (broken argente), Milkshake & Bedlington (longhair satin PEWs), and Krispy (broken black).

 

Curly Sue	Bedlington	Krispy

The end of 2002 (Christmas Eve) brought my first breeder mice!
History Part 2 - Coming Soon!