During the process of playing with purple clay Teapots and savoring Tea, many people place some small items on their tea trays. These are what people commonly refer to as tea pets.

What is a tea pet? A tea pet is a pet for tea drinkers, mostly made from purple clay or molded mud and fired into Ceramic handicrafts.

Categories of Tea Pets:

1. Symbolic Tea Pets.

2. Spouting Water Tea Pets.

3. Color-Changing Tea Pets.

4. Fun Tea Pets.

The pleasure in playing with tea pets comes from your participation in the tea-drinking process, much like planting flowers—watering and pruning every detail. The moment they bloom, you'll feel immense satisfaction.

In the daily nourishment of tea water, your heart is filled with anticipation and wishes. One day, when you suddenly find it seems to have come alive, how delighted you will be.

Although playing with tea pets is so simple, there are still some precautions to take.

Pu'er and Oolong are Best:

Using fermented teas like Oolong and Pu'er makes it easiest to see results. Changes can generally appear in one to two months, and a smooth and lustrous effect can be seen after about half a year, while Green Tea is relatively slower.

Avoid Soaking:

Raising tea pets should not involve constantly soaking them in leftover tea. It's best to gently brush them with a pen while drinking tea. Although soaking them in tea can speed up the process, the results are not good, and discerning eyes can easily tell the difference.

Use the Same Type of Tea:

If possible, use the same type of tea to raise your tea pet. This prevents the color from becoming impure due to contact with different types of tea.

In summary, the method of “raising” tea pets focuses on “not being complex but being attentive.” Tea pets don't require only Pu'er tea to be raised, but mainly because Pu'er tea's qualities make it easy to see results. Generally, choose a moderate size; don't make it too large, as most of its body needs to serve the function of storing water. During the raising process, just water it with tea, not plain water. This will give it a warm and smooth texture when touched.

The quality of the sand can vary, but this isn't an issue. In daily maintenance, you must clean it with a brush every day and regularly polish it with a tea cloth to maintain a certain degree of brightness. Seeing the pet spout bubbles or open its eyes becomes quite easy.

Color-sand lotus pod tea pets, like purple clay teapots, can also increase in value over time. Tea pets can serve both as playthings and collectibles, with great collection value. When you're feeling relaxed and elegant, playing with them can fill your life with joy.