If you ever wanted to get a head start on the latest craze before Christmas then here is your chance.  Zhu Zhu pets (pronounced zoo-zoo) are the latest craze.  They just launched in September, 09 and are selling out everywhere.  Call Walmart and Toys r Us and find out, or check online retailers like Amazon.com and Ebay and you will find that Zhu Zhu Pets are some of the hottest selling toys right now.

What are Zhu Zhu pets?  They’re these amazing little mechanical hamsters that children just love to interact with.  In fact, these toys were designed to engage children to play with them.  They have two modes.  Loving Mode allows the toy hamsters to react to the child’s affectionate pets.  While in Loving Mode, the hamsters coo and squeak to show that they enjoy the petting.  Then there is the Explore Mode that allows the hamster to interact inside its hamster habitat.  A small code reader on the hamster allows the toy hamsters to move about and react to obstacles. 

Along with the hamster habitat, there are other accessories that make playing with these amazing little fur balls fun.  Some accessories include the hamster wheel, the hamster ball, a Zhu Zhu pets car and ramp, a Zhu Zhu pets skateboard and surfboard, as well as pet carriers and beds for when the pets get sleepy.

There are 5 different Zhu Zhu pets.  Patches comes with the starter kit, then there is Squiggles, Pipsqueak, Chunk and NumNums.  Each with its own color and personality.  These toys are sure to keep your children engaged because they need to interact with the toy hamsters.  Sometimes they get stuck and need the child’s assistance to get it moving again. 

There are some things you should know before purchasing these toys.  They require 2 AAA batteries for each hamster.  The wheels move very fast and if a child is not careful they can easily pinch their skin or get hair tangled.  As a parent or guardian, you should show your child how not to play with the toy.  The Zhu Zhu pets were designed to interact inside their own hamster habitat and will not operate properly on carpeting.  They will move very fast on hard floors and will turn when met with an obstacle. 

Whether or not these toys can stand the test of time is open right now since they are new to the market.  The fact remains, children 3 years of age and up absolutely love these little furry toys and want them which is why they are selling out everywhere.