Little Crocodile Tea Pet

Little Crocodile tea pet in pale Yixing clay

The Little Crocodile Tea Pet is a small clay figure for the tea tray, made from pale Yixing duan clay and fed with leftover tea between infusions. He's palm sized, about 5 cm long and 4 cm tall, and sits at the edge of the tray, in reach of the rinse water. His back and head scales are coloured by hand in a dark glossy brown; belly, legs and face are bare sandy clay with a fine grain you can feel.

He sits up on his tail, belly out, claws folded over his stomach, snout tipped up. It's less the pose of a predator than of someone who has heard the kettle and would like to be included. He never looks grateful for the pour, and we think that's part of the appeal.

Feeding him

Bare duan clay is porous, which is the point. Pour leftover tea over him after each infusion and the pale clay drinks it in. Over time the belly and face shift from cream toward amber and pick up a gentle polish. Ripe Pu-erh and black tea work fastest.

Product details

• Length: 5.2 cm
• Height: 4.0 cm
• Width: 3.2 cm
• Weight: about 50 g
• Material: Yixing baiyu duanni (white jade duan) clay, back coloured by hand
• Origin: Yixing, Jiangsu, China

This works well for

• A first tea pet, to see if the habit sticks
• A small gift for a tea drinker who owns more teaware than they admit
• Gongfu sessions with ripe Pu-erh or black tea, where colour builds quickest
• Anyone who has always wanted a crocodile but lacks the yard

You'll find him at our Salamanca Tea Bar in Hobart if you'd like to meet him first.

Understanding tea pets

A tea pet is a small clay figure kept on the tray during gongfu brewing. Fed with leftover tea for a few months, the clay darkens and takes on a soft sheen. It's a slightly silly tradition, and people get attached.

Care

Tea and water only, no soap, and skip the dishwasher. Rinse him under plain water when needed and let him dry on the tray. Each crocodile is coloured by hand, so the shade of the back varies a little, and a small iron speck from firing is normal.

Shipping

Ships from Hobart, Tasmania. Free shipping on orders over $95 Australia-wide. He's wrapped in paper and packed in a small box for the post.

Related

Tea Pet · Tea Wares · Tea Gifts