Scratch This: The coiling of hearts on the Lunar New Year
For one Long Beach couple, celebrating the year of the snake happens every year.
This month the Sister Cities of Long Beach will host a celebration of the Lunar New Year, celebrated in Asian cultures. The Long Beach Lunar New Year Festival will take place Saturday, Feb. 15 at the 2nd and PCH center at 12:40 p.m. and will feature a multiethnic combination of entertainment.
Attendees can enjoy an artisan vendor market, dancers, drummers, food of all sorts, stuff for kids to do and an intriguing festival activity called Lantern Riddles.
The Long Beach-Qingdao Association’s Artbook, made up of Lunar New Year artwork by students from both Long Beach and Qingdao, China, will have an unveiling; an Artbook will be given away in an opportunity drawing. Representatives from Sister Cities will be there to answer questions.
Lunar New Year lasts for 15 days, from the first new moon to the first full moon of the lunar calendar. It’s based on the Chinese zodiac, which runs a cycle of 12 years, each represented by a different animal. People born under any sign are said to bear certain characteristics of that animal. To complicate your horoscope, a corresponding system of elements — earth, wood, metal, fire and water — intersects with each animal at certain time periods.
The wood snake represents this lunar year. According to one source, wood snakes are “orderly, intelligent, with a gift for appreciating the knowing celebrities and a refined taste (imagine David Niven’s head on the body of a garter snake wearing a dinner jacket).” If you’re born in a snake year, you’re wise, charming and mysterious, ambitious and determined, according to another source.
“Four of them, for sure, are very curious,” said Chris Pieper of his own family of actual snakes. “Sunny wants to explore our faces. They are charming, and I think they’re definitely mysterious. Wise? Nah, they’re like a box of rocks.”
“They can be ambitious and determined — if we try to stop them, they use their muscle power,” Crystal, Chris’ wife, added.
Yessss, for Chrisssss and Cryssssstal, every year is a snake year. Although Chris wasn’t always a snake person — far from it, in fact. He said he was deathly afraid of them when he first met Crystal. When they moved in together, Crystal wanted to bring a snake into the home, and she wanted Chris to feel comfortable with the idea. So, she applied some exposure therapy.
“I showed him cute videos of snakes, and then I took him to a reptile zoo,” she said. “I introduced him to a 14-foot python.”
Chris wasn’t terribly comfortable with the huge snake around his shoulders.
“I tried to compose myself as much as possible,” he said. “Three of us had to handle her! She looked like she was choking me.”
“She wasn’t,” Crystal said.
The couple ultimately took in their first snake, a two-foot-long western hognose whom they named Hisstopher. Now, six years later, they have two ball pythons named Charlie and Ethyl, a corn snake called Corey and a baby boa named Sunny. And Hisstopher, of course.
As you can see, Chris has overcome his fear of snakes. He and Crystal raised Charlie and her sister, Ethyl, from snakelet-hood. Video by Kate Karp
And Chris has become enamored of and knowledgeable about snakes, how to care for them and how they react.
“They learn different scents and who their people are,” Chris said. “They don’t hear us, but they have different responses to different owners. Hiss wants to chill and nap with Crystal but explore with me.”
“We cuddle them and give them chin scritches, and almost all of them are receptive,” Crystal said.
Snakes, I found, are interesting — they don’t just slither around and shed their skin. For example, they shed whenever they get too long and chonky for their skin, and they turn nearly blind during the process. They also have similarities to certain furry pets. Chris said that they tolerate petting on top of the head with a thumb and they like chin scritching, but they don’t like to have affection forced on them.
“When we’re handling them, they tolerate it until they communicate that they’ve had enough,” Chris said. “Generally, they like to be left alone.”
Which brings cats to mind — they probably hate having their scales stroked the wrong way, too. Snakes that don’t coil need to be held with two hands for support, also like cats, rabbits and small dogs.
“And Hisstoopher has stinky poop, and the boa constrictor’s is mammoth,” Chris said, which anyone with a cat or a dog can relate to.
Snakes who don’t coil, like Sunny, need support with both hands. He is a sweetie pie, by the way. Video by Kate Karp
Unlike cats and dogs, Crystal said, snakes don’t bark or destroy the house, which gives every reason for a landlord to allow a properly cared-for, enclosed snake.
“Snakes don’t pee on the floor,” Crystal said.
And as with all pets, anyone wanting a snake as a housemate needs to know what they’re in for — what care they need — and be willing and able to give it. Like all pets, it’s a lifetime commitment — most snakes live to be 15 to 25 years old in captivity.
“We always try to steer people toward reputable reptile keepers,” Chris said. “Prehistoric Pets in Fountain Valley is a good place, and so is JTK Reptiles in Long Beach. A lot of people wind up at chain pet stores, which is fine, but they don’t always have the best expertise [with snakes] there. Not to knock them.”
Food and living quarters are of utmost importance. Different snakes have different requirements for how often they’re fed and what food they should eat. You might find it horrid (as I do) to feed live mice to a reptile, but that’s what they eat to survive. Chris and Crystal, also softhearted, give their snakes —frozen rats.
Then, there are the living quarters — snake houses, if you will.
“All species have specific requirements for heat and humidity,” Chris said. “You have to learn if they require specialty lighting and temperature. They have different enclosure-size requirements, too. Most of ours are in minimum of 3 feet long by18 inches deep and 2 feet tall — our bigger ones are in a 4 foot by 2 foot by 2 foot.”
Keeping two snakes in the same space is a bad idea, Chris said, because of food aggression, territorial aggression or the possibility of mating.
Snakes can get sick, too, so you’ll need a veterinarian. Locate one before the snake shows any signs of illness, which can include coiling up in a corner, inactivity, appearing listless, and not eating.
“Knock on wood, we haven’t had any problem, but you’d go to one specializing in exotic pets,” Chris said. You could likely get a recommendation from the reptile stores the couple mentioned.
Reptile expos take place two or three times a year. They’re great for meeting up and are also good places to scale up your snake sensibilities.
“We know a lot of people at the expos — sometimes, we bring our children,” Chris said, referring to both human and herpetoid.
If you attend an expo and you run into Crystal and Chris, they’ll be glad to talk snake with you.
“We love educating people because there are so many misconceptions and fears about snakes,” Crystal said.
YOURS DROOLY
No, Yours drooly doesn’t have adoptable snakes for Lunar New Year. But February has no lack of holidays, and conveniently, the volunteers at Long Beach Animal Care Services have dolled up the doggies for the day of hearts. Wanna give a pup the gift of forever love? LBACS’ dog-kennel space is severely limited, and a forever home or a foster would help every furry friend in residence.
Speed the adoption or fostering process by emailing PetAdopt@longbeach.gov or petfoster@longbeach.gov. You can also call (562) 570-4925. Shelter hours are Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 7700 E. Spring St. at the entrance to El Dorado Park (no parking fee for shelter visitors.)
Here are some Valentine cards and characters!
Meadow (ID#A719513), 6 years old, is as sweet and gentle as her name. She started her days at LBACS after she was reported abandoned in a city park, skinny and too feeble to walk. There were signs that she’d just birthed a litter, so it’s anyone’s guess how her heartless situation happened. As you can see, Meadow has filled out quite nicely, and it’s not from eating candy hearts and chocolates (the volunteers would never let her have any!). She walks beautifully now, by herself and on a leash. Meadow would love to sit next to you on the sofa munching doggie treats while you eat Valentine’s chocolates.
Always playful as a puppy and sweet as a sugar heart is Cosmo (ID#A726780). He’s smart as a whip, is nonreactive to other dogs, and loves riding in the car. He’s been on many Fido Field Trips with the shelter volunteers — what he looks forward to the most are the pup burgers at In-N-Out! And look how gorgeous he is! At 2 years old, Cosmo will make a great addition to an active person or family.
Sedonia (ID#A717822) is a 2-year-old Siberian husky mix. She’s another brokenhearted big doggie whose eagerness and energy make her a challenge. The volunteers are working with Sedonia on his leash training, and his treat motivation and affection for humans work to her advantage. She’s been at LBACS for nearly a year and craves a human who can accept her big energy and big love. Can you mend Sedonia’s broken heart?
TAIL-WAGGIN' AND NOSE-BOOPIN' EVENTS
Blockhead Brigade’s Fire Relief Program for Altadena pets and their people
If you have pets and have been displaced or affected by the Eaton fire in Altadena, please fill out this form in detail, and Blockhead Brigade will assist you in accessing resources — there are several available on BB’s resources page. Please reach out with any questions at blockheadbrigade@gmail.com; if you wish to volunteer, email at that address. Your donations will help greatly, and you can apply to volunteer here.
Pickle4Pups fundraiser for Long Beach Animal Care Services and K9 Kismet Dog Rescue
Bat at a ball to benefit pets waiting for their forever homes! Picke4Pups is hosting a two-day pickleball tournament to benefit pets! Play pickleball, check out the vendors, and meet amazing adoptables while you get your game going. All registered players will receive a drawstring backpack full of goodies. Medals will be given out to the top three teams in each category: men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles. Register here for $50 — proceeds will go to K9 Kismet Dog Rescue and City of Long Beach Animal Care Services. For more information, email matt@laridon.org or access this link.
Pickle4Pups takes place Saturday and Sunday, Feb 15 and 16, 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., Sports Basement, 2100 N. Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach
Haute Dogs’ 20th annual Bulldog Beauty Contest
Actually, whether you have whatever variety of a bulldog or a rescue blend o’ breeds, there’s a contest for your buddy in the biggest, most wonderful doggie event anywhere — the Bulldog Beauty Contest! Your best buddy will be in the running (or trotting) for 12 contests that include best bulldog and best rescue, seniors (any breed over 7 years old). Best in Show (all breeds and mixes thereof), and small and large dogs. Red Barn Premium Pet Food will provide the prizes.
Contestants will strut their stuff down a concrete runway that includes a 60-ft. red carpet, as hundreds of admirers look on. Dogs won’t be judged on looks but on charm, facial expressions and personality! Dr. Greg Perrault of Cats & Dogs Animal Hospital will be present for any emergency.
Register now for $10 for all contests, or on the day of event for $20. Seats for spectators will be available for $5 the day of the event. Vendors will have good stuff for your own pets! All proceeds from the event will fund Justin Rudd’s nonprofit Community Action Team.
The Bulldog Beauty contests takes place Sunday, Feb. 16, 9 a.m. at the boat launch near Rosie’s Dog Beach, 1 Granada Ave., Long Beach. Access this link for more information.
Need a low-cost veterinarian, information about trapping community cats, places to volunteer, rescues and shelters to adopt from Anything pet related?Follow this link for resources. Please add your own ideas in the Comments section.
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