A tea pet, also known as a tea lover's pet, is a small clay figure which is kept by some tea drinkers for good luck. They are usually made of "zisha" or Yixing clay, from the region near Yixing in Jiangsu province, China. Just like Yixing teapots made of the same clay, tea pets are unglazed, so that they are mostly monochromatic with a rough surface. Tea lovers in China raise a tea pet by placing it on the tea tray during tea time and pouring out the tea over it. Each piece is unique and high quality! As these are all handmade, the shape may be slightly different from one piece to another.