Renee Calis asked:


By now you have most likely heard the buzz behind the latest toy craze this holiday season; Zhu Zhu Pets. With their ability to behave, react and adapt to their environment like real Hamsters, these little motorized "pets" are stirring up a mad shopping frenzy rivaling past holiday toy crazes like the Tickle Me Elmo and the Furby. Zhu Zhu Pets by themselves are fun enough for many of their young owners, but there are also a myriad of play sets and other accessories available to outfit/entertain your Zhu Zhu; with the various playsets in particular being customizable and combine-able into one large hamster city: providing hours of fun for your kids. Some of the big Zhu Zhu Pets play sets and accessories this holiday season include:

Hamster Funhouse - The Hamster Funhouse is the main hamster accessory for all new Zhu Zhu Pets owners. This habitat for the hamsters has two main areas consisting of a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, and a tunnel to connect the two areas together. The playset also features special "bumps" in areas that stimulate the Zhu Zhu Pets to make unique noises such as sleeping noises in the bedroom, or toliet flushing in the bathroom, along with funny movements. Of course the Hamster Funhouse also has openings that allow it to connect with the other Zhu Zhu pets playsets available, making it a great starting point for building your own Hamster City!

Adventure Ball - Another Zhu Zhu Pets accessory inspired by real-life, this clear blue ball works by first placing a stabilizer below the Zhu Zhu Pet hamster, keeping it from tipping over while inside the ball. The hamster is then placed inside the ball where it is free to explore the world around it, especially over rough surfaces such as carpet where Zhu Zhu Pets on their own may have a hard time treading. As a bonus, the Adventure Ball set also includes a "Rattlin' Clatterin' Mini Ball" that can be pushed around by the hamster almost anywhere, including within the playsets themselves.

Spiral Slide and Ramp - This playset has your Zhu Zhu Pets hamster scooting up the ramp, then going down and around on a large corkscrew slide. A simple, but fun addition to a Hamster Funhouse and other playsets.

Surfboard and Sleep Dome - The Surfboard and Sleep Dome set makes hamster surfing a reality. The Zhu Zhu Pets hamster can "surf" around a floor with the surfboard, but it can only surf on land, so don't try it in water! When the hamster is done for the day, it can rest in the included sleep dome.

Hamster Bed and Blanket with Pet Carrier and Blanket - These two accessories provide your Zhu Zhu Pets hamster with a cozy pouch like plush place to snuggle up and "sleep" with the Hamster Bed and Blanket, or a soft and secure way to take your hamster with you with the Pet Carrier and Blanket. Both accessories come in a range of colors, to personalize your Zhu Zhu Pets even further.

Hamstermobile and Garage - Probably the most interesting Zhu Zhu Pets playset is the Hamstermobile and Garage set. The ingenuity of Zhu Zhu Pets' artificial intelligence is shown when the hamsters enter the garage, hop in the Hamstermobile, open the garage doors, and drive off all by themselves. Many good times can be had watching the hamsters steer, accelerate, brake, and reverse the Hamstermobile all on their own. As long as they don't find their way out of your house and motoring on real-life roads, that is.

Hamster Wheel and Tunnel - Much like real-life hamster wheels, the Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster Wheel and Tunnel playset is exactly as it says on the box; "Zhu Zhu Pets hamsters scamper up the ramp to jump on the exercise wheel and start running". Only unlike a real hamster wheel, it can be connected with other Zhu Zhu Pets playsets.

Skateboard and U-Turn - Similar to the Surfboard and Sleep Dome playset, the Skateboard and U-Turn set has our curious little motorized critters tackling the sport of skateboarding. The Zhu Zhu Pets hop on the skateboard and ride up the included U-Turn ramp, to come down and around back on the ground or to another connected playset. May not be quite as spectacular as surfing, but how many hamsters do you know of that can do one, let alone two sports?

Hamster House Starter Set with Exclusive Patches Hamster - A very special playset, the Hamster House Starter Set, like the other playsets in the Zhu Zhu line, creates a fun little play space for you zhu zhu hamsters to roam around in. Of course, the Hamster House also connects with other Zhu Zhu play sets to create one big hamster city. What makes this play set extra special however is the inclusion of Patches the Hamster. Exclusive to this playset set, Patches is a special yellow hamster with a white patch on his back, not available anywhere other than with the Hamster House Starter Set. What better way to start your Zhu Zhu pets collection than with a special limited edition Zhu Zhu Pet by the name of Patches?

Certain accessories and playsets are also available bundled with one of the five current Zhu Zhu Pets, making it easier to get into owning a Zhu Zhu Pet without having to buy one separately. In addition there are even more Zhu Zhu Pets and accessories coming in 2010, so get your hamster surfboard ready, because the Zhu Zhu Pets wave is just starting to hit!



Taliyah

Edward Twiddle asked:


The hottest toy obsession to come to the stores and have just been put on the top ten toy hot list for Christmas.  At first, limited supply meant that dodgy sellers were exaggeratingthe prices of these furry little hamsters to outrageous levels, as is the case most of the time with the latest ‘must have’ toy.  Fortunately, reality has now set in and the zhu zhu pet hamstersthemselves, as well as the range of add on zhu zhu pet hamster accessories can now be found at average prices.

There are four different zhu zhu hamsters and they are named – Num Nums, Pipsqueak, Mr Squiggles and Chunk.  Each of them different in color and with their own exceptional personalities.  Small in size and full of movement and sound, they will scurry around and really provide your kids with endless hours of interactive fun.  All you have to do is push the zhu zhu pet hamster's back to set it into loving or explore mode, or push again to turn it off for sleep.

The zhu zhu pet hamsters and the accessories are well built and give endless hours of entertainment for kids.  Please note that this toy is not meant for children under 4 years old.  The zhu zhu hamster has wheels and a little motor that causes it to scurry around and that is part of the fun, however, care should be taken not to get things caught in the way of the spinning wheels, as is the common sense case with any small children and toys that have moving parts.

The accessories that are available for the zhu zhu hamsters allow your child to expand the interactive nature of the hamster pet and really get the most fun and play time with them. The Funhouse is the most popular accessory which essentially provides a hamster habitat for your child’s zhu zhu hamster to go scurrying around in and out of.  Other accessories include from hamster wheels to cars to slides.

If you’re looking for an low-cost toy and you want to reduce your children'spleading for the latest toy craze, then you really can’t go wrong with a zhu zhu pet hamster. And considering the state of the economy and a cheap gift that your kids will love is pretty much prefect.  As with all Christmas toy crazes, if your youngster has their heart set on a zhu zhu hamster, you would be best advised, as most parents that have been jammed in this trap before, purchasing it early and hiding it for Christmas morning. This is especially true since Toys R Us has just added zhu zhu petsto their Christmas top ten toy list.  This means that there will be limited supply and that means you will have to either pay a ludicrously high cost or let your kidgo without. This warning is mostly for last minute shoppers, I know you're reading this! These hamsters will keep your child busy for hours and they will love their new toy (it's a win-win).



Natalee