In the beginning...

The story of the eight black ratlets starts in late July, as I packed up my three "babies" Squidge, Squeek and Squink for the long trip from Heidelberg, Germany, where I was stationed with the US Army, to my parent's home in Wenatchee, WA.
My three ratties kept me loving company in Germany, and the thought of leaving them behind was just unbearable. I figured that I'd just bring them home with me - you just put them in a dog carrier and get on the plane, right? Well... no. It ain't so easy. Customs didn't cause any problems at all - rat's are easier to get across the border than dogs, you just need a health certificate. It's all the airline's fault in this case; apparently, rats are "dangerous" on a plane because they "might" escape and chew up wiring. Never mind the noise and strange people and smells that will pretty much make them want to curl up and hide... oh well.
Anyhow, I ended up having to call all sorts of shipping companies to try to find some way to bring my kids home. After lots of calls to airlines trying to sweet talk my babies onto a plane, I finally broke down and used my only option; I paid an animal shipper to bring my babies home. It cost a whopping 350 euro (roughly $470)!!! For that price, all three babies could ride together in a double screened doggy carrier and would meet me in Seattle as I arrived. All my friends thought I was crazy, but I just couldn't leave my babies behind.