Zhu Zhu pets have zoomed to the top of this holiday season’s hot Christmas toys list.
What are Zhu Zhu (pronounced Zoo Zoo) pets, you ask. They’re motorized, interactive hamsters. And they’re a huge hit with young children. They’re shaping up to be the must-have toy of Christmas 2009.
Armed with a touch of artificial intelligence, these hamsters squeak and squawk while darting around like their live counterparts, creating a “real” hamster experience without the … mess.
Unfortunately, they’re really hard to find. Most stores are sold out and prices online are soaring.
Already, Walmart and Toys ‘R Us report they’ll get only one more shipment before Christmas, with the majority of those hamsters earmarked for people who pre-ordered. And Target is limiting them to four per customer. Meanwhile, third-party sellers are listing the Zhu Zhu hamsters on Amazon for about $50.