New Pet Rats Fill Us With Joy and Dredding, Iron Fist (9-22-18 #29)

In this episode Liz and Matt talk about new pet rats, compare and contrast 1995’s Judge Dredd with 2012’s Dredd, and shake their fists of rage at Iron Fist: Season 2. 

Ratty Topics – Liz convinces Matt to adopt our two new foster rats, Chip and Basil, who are the sons of our former foster rat Momma. The boys got neutered and Basil reacted with an abscess (an infection resulting in severe swelling) but a trip to the vet to clean it out and antibiotics are helping him heal.

Also, another foster-turned-forever-rat Mama Pinky developed a mammary tumor which we got surgically removed. We had her spayed while she was our foster but she was probably over 6 months by that point – our vet told us that spaying by 4 months is the best way to prevent mammary tumors. But, we are still glad we spayed her – she pees less when she’s out of the cage, gets along with the other rats better, and it gave her a chance at least to not get tumors. We’re hoping for no more!

Fieval is still thriving despite having CRD (Chronic Respiratory Disease). Our vet called him the Energizer Bunny! He gets twice a day meds including antibiotics, a bronchial dilator, and prednisone.

Local Animal News – As we move into fall, considering leaving your leaves on your lawn – it creates much needed habitat for beneficial insects which not only help pollinate plants in the spring but provide over-winter food for birds. Also, many homeowners can’t stand pokeweed, a very sturdy and fibrous native plant with dark berries. Let it grow! Migrating birds depend on those berries for winter food and it will become a natural birdfeeder.

Nerdy News – Liz had never seen either Judge Dredd movie so we watched the 1995 tragi-comedy Judge Dredd starring Sylvestor Stallone since it was on a streaming service and then watched the really good 2012 movie Dredd, which we highly recommend!

Liz never watched Dawson’s Creek on principle of avoiding emo high school drama but she strongly felt that Iron Fist: Season 2 would have been more appropriately named Iron Creek. Can you say boring interpersonal woes? Matt suggested the saucier title Dawson’s Fist. Both work. Hear our thoughts on the few highs and many lows of the latest Netflix Marvel sophomore flop.

The Captain Marvel trailer dropped! Check it out. Liz has always been a huge Carol Danvers fan and started collecting all of the Carol Danvers comics appearances at our last Comic-Con before we swore off buying comics. We’ll have to see if the spring 2019 movie lives up to the goodness of the comics. Fingers crossed.

Matt has finally started watching Gotham and also watched the latest Supergirl season and shares his thoughts on those (Liz was irritated that Mon-El and Kara weren’t a couple anymore since Mon-El made Kara so much less annoying… so Liz didn’t want to watch this season.)

And, Liz talks her newly discovered phone game Love Nikki, an anime fashion battle game.

If you enjoy our podcast, please consider supporting our two favorite charities.

Small Angels Rescue, Inc., is a Frederick County, MD based 501(c)(3) non-profit, no-kill, all-volunteer organization dedicated to rescuing and re-homing gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, and rats.

Extra Life unites thousands of players around the world in a 24 hour gaming marathon to support Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Also, check out our Etsy shop if you would like to buy a rat bonding pouch handmade by Liz and visit us on Instagram (thenerdyratpodcast)

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