1980s · toys
Chia Pet
A terracotta figurine that grows a fuzzy green "fur coat" of chia sprouts — famous for one jingle you can still hum on command.
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Image: Wikimedia Commons
◆ Did you have this?
👍 I had this💔 I wanted this- Era
- 80s
- Released
- 1977
- Category
- toys
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- For an original edition, compare the model name, packaging, and release details with the seller’s photos.
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From the archive
Watch the commercial
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The pitch
Ch-ch-ch-Chia! Water it, watch it, and in a couple of weeks your little terracotta friend has a full head of leafy green hair. The gag gift that never gets old.
Why people remember it
- The "Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia!" jingle from the TV commercials is permanently stuck in an entire generation's head.
- Watching plain seeds turn into a leafy green afro over a couple of weeks felt like a magic trick.
- It became a go-to gag gift precisely because it was cheap, silly, and instantly recognizable.
Did you know?
- The Chia Pet was created by Joseph Pedott after he discovered the concept being imported from Oaxaca, Mexico, in 1977.
- The instantly recognizable jingle debuted in TV commercials in the early 1980s and ran for decades with only minor updates.
- Chia Pets have been made in dozens of shapes over the years, from the original ram to pop-culture figures and presidents.
How people search for it
“ch ch ch chia”, “terracotta planter pet”, “grow your own chia fur”
Questions people ask
- What seeds does a Chia Pet use?
- Chia seeds (Salvia hispanica), which sprout quickly into a dense green coating over the figurine when kept moist.
- When did Chia Pets become popular?
- They launched in 1977 but exploded in popularity in the 1980s after their famous TV ad campaign.
