Comfort Creatures

What has 8 legs, a colourful tushy and the smoothest moves in Oz? THESE GUYS. This week we're deep-diving on SPARKLEMUFFINS. Queens of the arachnids, new addition to the peacock spider roster and capable of outjumping the Hulk. We also have a voicemail Ready Pet Go (very exciting) from Meli and Pooty Tang!

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This week Ella and Alexis learn all about the Nightjar! After hearing one while camping, Alexis decided she needed to learn about this fascinating little bird! Ella has some Nightjar mythology, though we think the bird may protest to a few details of it. We also have a great Ready Pet Go from Lizzie and Norbert!

Send us YOUR pet stories (Ready, Pet, Go!) at comfortcreatures@maximumfun.org and don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe! Follow us @comfortcreaturespodcast on Instagram! Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/PFVQXgMYWB

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It's pinniped week! Seals! Walrus! Sea lions! Oh my! This week we enter the splash zone and learn all about these slippery friends! Some cute, some... less cute! And, of course, some seal mythology!

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After reading a book about possibly murderous animals, Alexis decided she wanted to know if any other animals tend to take on hedonistic behaviors. Namely- do any anials party? And if so, what sort of "drugs" do animals do? Ella then discusses some of the biggest party animals in mythology: the Satyr! We also have a very fun Ready Pet Go from Cassandra!

Don't forget to Ella's NEW book! ANDROMEDA by E.S. MCLEOD!

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We're back after a very exciting period away with SO MUCH NEWS. Ella and Alexis saw each other IRL, Ella met Crumb, Cricket, Millie and Maud and Alexis has a very special announcement that pertains to this week's Comfort Creature. 

We also met ALL of our MaxFun Membership Goals! Thank you ALL so much -- as ever, you're our really comforting creatures!

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It's week two of the Maximum Fun Drive! Who better to carry us through than some of our favorite fantastic horse-like creatures, unicorns and pegasus! That's right, it's a full fantasy creature episode! We learn all about the history and lore behind these majestic creatures! 

Become a Max Fun Member today by going to maximumfun.org/join
OUR MFD2026 Membership GOALS:
72 - The Last Unicorn Read-A-Long!
96 - Wedding Gossip Bonus Episode!
122 - Ella & Alexis IRL BTS!

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Wow, what a week! Not only are we talking about BUGS but it's also the first week of the MAXIMUM FUN DRIVE! Making this a MAXIMUM FUN BUG DRIVE EPISODE! Ella and Alexis gab about their favorite bugs in books, TV, movies, and, of course, the classic debate: Antz or A Bug's Life! 

Become a Max Fun Member today by going to maximumfun.org/join
OUR MFD2026 MEMBERSHIP GOALS:
72 - The Last Unicorn Read-A-Long!
96 - Wedding Gossip Bonus Episode!
122 - Ella & Alexis IRL BTS!

Help support this show and unlock b...

It's MaxFunDrive. And here, for the first time, we give you an exclusive look (well, listen) at the craft of podcasting: presenting Casters on Casters.

Three different coasts are represented in this episode. Recording from Los Angeles is Sequoia Holmes (Black People Love Paramore) on the West Coast of the U.S. Dimitry Pompée (Eurovangelists) joins the conversation from the D.C. area on the East Coast. And nearly 4000 miles east of him, is Ella McLeod (Comfort Creatures) from London. The trio share what it's like behind the scenes, how they got into podcasting, and what t...

We decided not to delay any longer! After learning about the existence of bilbies in last week's episode, we needed to learn more! We learn all about these funny little marsupials and even share a little bilby myth! We also have a great Ready Pet Go from Wayne and Azdaja!

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A very EGGY EP! It's Easter weekend -- or maybe it's Ostara to you -- and we're talking about the source of new life. Big eggs! Small eggs! Strange eggs! Chocolate eggs! Gorgeously decorated eggs! It's going to be eggtremely eggcellent. (Sorry. So sorry.)

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It's April 2nd! And we all know what that means... IT'S NATIONAL FERRET DAY! To celebrate, Alexis has some fun ferret facts to share. Plus, Ella meets some exciting animals in Greece, and we discuss the most recent viral dog video and the drama surrounding it!

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Sorry you missed us last week -- we had a few personal things to attend to, but never fear, spring is springing, and we are BACK. This week we have a sly stowaway, some spy cameras and some excellent follow-up emails and messages from our fictional fish episode! What are your favourite woodland creatures? And what other fictional creatures do you find comforting? Tell us -- we wanna know!

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It's Pisces season and you know wthat that means, it's time to talk about FISH! This week we're not learning about a particualr fish, but instead discussion our favoirte fictional fish and breaking them down by what we think their High School superlative would be! Want to know who won biggest flirt? Most likely to be famous? Worst fish? You must listen to find out! 

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We have a new animal taking the lead in convergent evoluton! The Tenrec is a weird little dude from madagascar that comes in a shocking vartiey of shapes and sizes and colors that it's hard to believe they're all one creature! Then, Ella has some very fun mythology about Changelings!

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A new record may have been set this week! Ella may have cried the most times in an episode telling the story of Punch the Macaque and his plush monkey, but I promise it's not as sad as it sounds! Plus, Crumb gets a haircut that many are calling "bad," Cricket gets groomed for the first time, and we have a great Ready Pet Go from Jeremiah AND a local news story from Erin!

Send us YOUR pet stories (Ready, Pet, Go!) at comfortcreatures@maximumfun.org and don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe! Follow u...

This week the big news continues! This time it's DOLPHINS with a brand new spongy fashion trend! Plus, thanks to a very helpful coyote-related email, we decided to re-introduce ourselves because it's been a few years! If you're new to the show, this is a great place to start!

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We're back with more "hard boiled reporting!" This week we've got some very exciting local animal news involving a lone grey wolf that many are now calling Beyonce 2 and some brand new beavers in the UK! Plus we have a full fantasy Ready Pet Go from Jordan that we absolitely loved!

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This week we're talking toxins! Prompted by a stressful week with some pesky lilies, Ella and Alexis discuss household plants and food that you may or may not realize are toxic to your pets! Then we discuss animals that are toxic to humans. Did you know there's a poisonous BIRD?! Tune in to learn all about these surprisingly venomous critters!

Send us YOUR pet stories (Ready, Pet, Go!) at comfortcreatures@maximumfun.org and don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe! Follow us @comfortcreaturespodcast on Instagram! Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/PFVQXgMYWB

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Marcy Jarreau is a comedian, a writer, a podcaster, but most importantly, Marcy has THREE cats. Marcy explains how she ended up with Mama, Buster, and Hunny (who may be feral), plus some wild childhood pet stories and even a cat psychic! Tune in!

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This week! The dogs need new harnesses, animals are nannying other animals, and apparently exercise is good for you?! Tune in for all of this and more!

*Note - this is the corrected version of this epsiode! A previous version was uploaded with the wrong audio! Apologies!

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This week! The dogs need new harnesses, animals are nannying other animals, and apparently exercise is good for you?! Tune in for all of this and more!

This week we have a guest! Best-selling author, darling of the internet (and that's REALLY hard to achieve), and Cat Ambassador, Lex Croucher. Lex joins us to discuss their cats Cricket (a popular name, we hear) and Remi, fostering, and further animal misadventures. A new friend of the pod and a featured fav, tune in!

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Happy 2026! Welcome to the year of the Fire Horse! Alexis is having an identity crisis and Ella wants you to remember to work SMART, not HARD... like the fire rat! Also, wedding chat, pet catch-ups and an excellent email from Amanda!

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As 2025 comes to an end, Ella has put together her list of the top animal moments of the year! Featuring Orangutans, Pika, and even some shocked dolphins. Meanwhile, Alexis learns all about her new favorite Christmas pests, the Kallikantzaros! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all! Thanks for listening! 

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What has two massive teeth, a chunky body and a mouth like a hoover? THESE GUYS. Walruses people. In all their blubbery glory. Plus a myth from Greenland about the creation of all our favourite wintery marine creatures. If it's cold where you are, wrap up warm with a hot drink to keep Ella's lurgy at bay -- if it's not cold... well, aren't you lucky?

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To ease you into the holiday season, we've decided to look into Christmas Island and more specifically, some of the really cool creatures that live there. Did you know there are thousands of bright red crabs that live there and cover the island once a year? Did you know about the Brown Booby? Will Ella be able to tell you about the Brown Booby without laughing? Tune in and find out! We also have a wonderful Ready Pet Go from Laura!

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Gobble gobble! It's Thanksgiving AKA Turkey Day in the US today and there's no better way to celebrate than to learn all about the Wild Turkey! Ella has some fun Turkey myths and a perfect turkey poem: Talking Turkeys by Benjamin Zephaniah.

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It's November and we've accidentally done a Discomfort Creatures episode! This week we discuss scorpions and their unusual mating habits, the mythology behind the zodiac sign, and of course... worms! Tune in!

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Ella and Alexis haven't seen each other in a month so they have a LOT to catch-up on. They discuss Halloween costumes, European animal spotting, and plenty of well fed street cats. Plus, as good journalists, we also have some breaking whale fashion news! We also pay or respects to the wonderful Jane Goodall.

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We absolutely love it when a mythical (allegedly) creature pops up across cultures and this week we've hit the jackpot! A firebird that continually reincarnates? A chick born from the ashes? Or a very misunderstood pheasant? Tune in for some phoenix chat! Plus, a beautiful Ready Pet Go from Alex and Daisy!

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Another classic that we've ignored too long! The canine cousins of our dear friends Crumb, Cricket and Simba. Get ready to howl at the moon, run with the pack and have your patriarchal notions of alpha and betas totally eradicated!

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It's happened! It's finally happened! Ella watched 'Over The Garden Wall!' We chat the elite vibes of this excellent show, talk about our favourite characters and and break down why this series is an October classic for the ages. Plus, we have an excellent RPG from Jordan and Newton! Good on you, Newton!

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It's our favourite time of year and we're leaning in! It's time for black cats and Jack-o-lanterns! Can you believe these two classics have gone as of yet undiscussed by us? We chat gourds, rutabagas and the elusive cat sí!

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Tea time comfies! We're concluding our read along discussion of T.J. Klune's 'A House in the Cerulean Sea'. We chat Arthur's reveal, expectations of the sequel and how/why we relate to our favourite characters. What are your favourite parts of this book? Let us know! 
Also apologies for the technical difficulties! But hopefully they are somewhat amusing!

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It's October!! AKA Halloween month! AKA spooky season! So who better to kick us off then one of the classic creepy critters: The Death's Head Hawkmoth! You know the one that looks like it has a skull on its back? Well it turns out that these moths really capture the Halloween spirit so we learn all about it! We also discuss some moth myths and some extremly relevant Greek mythology!

Reminder! Our Livestream for part 2 of the House in Cerulean Sea will be THIS Sunday, October 5th, at 1pm PST. Link to youtube: https://www.youtube.com...

Hello! We just wanted to let you know that our Read-A-Long for the second (and final) part for The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune will be on Sunday, October 5th at 1pm PST. 

You'll be able to find it on our youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ComfortCreaturesPodcast

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In honor of the House in the Cerulean Sea and all of the fun cratures in it, we thought we should discuss Wyverns! We discuss what makes them unique, family crests, and preferred amounts of limbs on a dragon-like creature. Then, Alexis discusses the history of the Chihuahua and their magical ancestors!

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We hope you enjoy our discussion on the first half of The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune! Thank you for tuning in to the livestream if you were able, but if not, here it is! We had so much fun and can't wait to finish the book and see if our predictions come true!

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Ella had a Scottish adventure and may have seen a mythical beast! Alexis has stumbled across a creature that really SHOULD be a mythical beast. We're back at it this week, as well as ramping up for our Read-A-Long! The live stream for the first half of The House on The Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune will be on Sunday September 14th! Hope to see you there!

You can find the livestream on our youtube channel! https://www.youtube.com/@ComfortCreaturesPodcast

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Ella was trapped in Scotland for longer than expected, so we will be back with our regular animal content next week. We wanted to remind everyone that we are doing our Read-A-Long this month! We'll be reading The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune! The livestream for the first half of the book (up to chapter 11) will be on Sunday, September 14th! We hope you can all join!

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