Chia

Chia Facts

Pronounced: CHEE-ah

Plural: Chias

Discovered: Prehistoric

Species Day: 18th February

Native Land: Neopia Central

Chias are smooth-skinned Neopets topped with a fluffy crest of fur. There is no clear division between their heads and bodies, and their short, chubby arms extend from what would be a human's chin. Their slightly squashed oval shape is very distinctive (according to TNT, they look somewhat like living Neggs). They are medium-sized Neopets. However, Chias' shape and size can be altered drastically with the use of Magical Chia Pops, which transform any Chia eating them to resemble a fruit or vegetable.

Chias can be found in many parts of Neopia and seem to be native to Neopia Central. They are cheerful and very sociable creatures who make large groups of friends easily. Although their feet are not as large and suited for jumping as the hind paws of a Cybunny, they like bouncing up and down for fun, and trampolines are one of their favourite toys.

The Chia is one of the "prehistoric" pets introduced before official records of Neopian events were kept. It's well known that this species, and the Asparagus Chia in particular, was beloved by one of the founders of Neopia, Adam "Borovan" Powell, and Chias served as one of the site's most common mascots throughout Adam's tenure with TNT. The basic design of the Chia has barely changed at all over the years, with most of the redrawing effort going into making this awkwardly-shaped pet look more three-dimensional.

Old Chia

The Transparent Chia reveals the insides of Chias resemble those of plant cells, with no bone structure and many of the elements typically found inside plant cells in place of internal organs. This raises the possibility that Chias may in fact be plants rather than animals, explaining their ability to transform into fruits and vegetables.

Chia Trivia

It seems great minds think alike. In 2002, the creator of a product called the "Chia Pet" attempted to sue Neopets Inc., claiming the existence of the Chia infringed on his trademark. (His creation didn't look much like a Chia—it was a small animal-shaped plant pot that got "hairier" as the leaves grew.) It seems the two companies managed to come to some kind of agreement, and to this day there's a note in the Terms and Conditions explaining that no name-stealing is intended.

A Few Famous Chias

Florg is one of Dr. Sloth's twisted monsters. It's not clear if this particular experiment simply went horribly wrong or whether Sloth intended to produce this fearsome but stupid creature. For some reason, Sloth's minions seem to have fed him Petpets, a wicked act you can relive in the Feed Florg game if you're in the mood for some horror.
Hubrid Nox is a would-be villainous mastermind whose plans mainly seem to centre around getting rid of the pesky heroes who get in his way. He pops up all over Neopia, but you can see him any time in the MAGAX: Destroyer series and Hubrid's Hero Heist.
The Jelly Chia is listed in the Gallery of Evil for attacking his creator, but this may be an unfair charge; in the face of an insane scientist who wanted to eat him, such an act can only be described as self-defence. He's said to haunt the Chocolate Factory, for reasons unknown.
Mika and Carassa run the Igloo Garage Sale on Terror Mountain. They seem to have lived together for many years-it's not clear whether they are husband and wife or siblings. After years of selling the contents of their home, they still haven't cleared out enough possessions to move away from the frozen north.
Thyassa is a true veteran of Neopia, being the first Neopet ever to be owned by a human. He lives on Donna's staff account, but since she no longer works in Neopia, Thyassa spends most of his time with his friends on the Gormball field.