Sounds like you've got your hands full. The stray gerbil I had to take to the humane society a few years ago was renamed Lola, which I kinda like. I got to play with my friends ratties last night, I'm kinda getting over being afraid. She said rats regulate their body temperature with their tails. Do you know if this is true? If so I don't think they'd break their tails in the same fashion as gerbils and lizards.