New & Improved Zhu Zhu Babies??!! (Video Review)

Good Evening, Zhu Zhu Lovers!

A couple of nights ago, I noticed a peculiar new peg in the toy dept at our Walmart.  It was empty at the time, but when I grabbed my groceries yesterday I found what I had been searching for... the elusive new Zhu Zhu Babies! 

Though there has been some speculation that these little Babies might be kittens, following the trend of the just-released Zhu Zhu Puppies, these are definitely baby hamsters.  They are referred to as "hamster tots" on the packaging.  It appears that this line is a new generation, replacing the baby hamsters of last year. 

There were two different sets available.  This basic set includes 1 baby hamster, swaddling blanket, plastic bottle and 2 plastic toys.  These were only $3.88 each!  There are several colors, and some are standing while others are on all fours as though crawling.

This was tagged the "deluxe set" and cost $8 each.  It includes a baby, a hat, sleeping bag, baby carriage, and bottle/2 toys.

Above is a video review I did of these cuties!

Here is a scan of the back of the packaging... I know it is small but you get the idea :-)  These new Babies are definitely going to be a hand-full!



Cepia's Zhu Zhu Pets™ ROCK OUT at the TOTY Awards!

Good Morning, Zhu Zhu Addicts!

"Cepia, LLC Sweeps with Top Honors and Two Category Awards for Zhu Zhu Pets"

This seems to be the buzz today on Twitter and the toy websites after this weekend's Toy of the Year (TOTY) awards.  Cepia's Zhu Zhu Pets™ took the overall Toy of the Year award, as well as winning in the individual categories of Girl Toy of the Year and Innovative Toy of the Year.  This is a HUGE accomplishment for any toy company, and the fact that Cepia is a fairly young company makes it all the more sweet!

Rocky and Friends to Appear Soon?

Hey Zhu Zhu Peeps!

Back in mid-October, a cryptic message was posted on the Zhu Zhu Pets™ official blog.  My favorite tech-savvy friend reversed the track so we could hear the message (you can see/hear the original post here).  Eight new hamsters were hinted at, even before Jilly and friends hit the market!

In the CNN interview from my last posting, it was said that new characters would be released every 6 weeks.  I think that time must be drawing near!  The names in that cryptic recording appeared to be Rocky, Moon, Spotty, Tex, YoYo, Cappuccino, Jinx, and Peachy.  Yesterday, a cartoon picture of a "new friend" Rocky was posted on the official blog.

That super-fast sneak peek video that Cepia posted on their website shortly before Christmas also had a TON of new accessories and hamsters/friends shown.  This particular hamster popped out at me at the time:

With the color and the shape of the "birthmark" on its back, I think there is a good chance that this hamster is Peachy.  Hopefully with Rocky mentioned on the ZZP blog, that is the cue that these newbies will start showing up in time for Easter baskets!

Zhu Zhu Pets™ Rockstars, Zhu Zhu Pets™ Wild Bunch, and Other Surprises for 2010

Having a good weekend, Zhu Zhu Fans?

I just came across an AMAZING article/video on CNN's website.  With the highly anticipated "Toy Fair 2010" in New York next weekend approaching, Cepia gives out this preview of the next generation of Zhu Zhu Pets™ to be released in the coming year! 

"Among the new Zhu Zhus is a line of four hamsters called Rockstars names "Pax," "Kingston," "Rider" and "Roxie." The names are inspired by the children of celebrities, including Angelina Jolie and Gwen Stefani.  "Rockstars are the first long-haired hamsters with attitude," said Katz. Although the hamsters don't interact with each other, Katz said a smart chip in each toy gives it its own unique personality.

Katz said the new "Wild Bunch" collection extends the brand beyond hamsters. "There's a skunk, hedgehog, raccoon and a bunny," he said.  "The appeal of this new collection is that these are animals that every child wants to have but parents won't let them have it," said Katz.

There's also a much-anticipated Kung Zu line of fighter hamsters geared primarily for boys aged 8 to 12.

Cepia will introduce 40 new Zhu Zhu characters in total this year, launching a new line every six weeks, said Katz."

Watch the video clip for great info and awesome sneak peeks of the newbies in action!

☺☺☺

With the amount and variety of ZZPs to come out, especially with newbies being released every 6 weeks, there will be a lot to pick and choose from on the market.  Up to this time, it has been feasible to realistically  "collect them all!".  I think now it will be a matter of choosing the ones that really appeal to the individual kid(s) and that they really want in their collection.  Let's face it... of course they will WANT them all, but a house and bank account are only so big ☺

From my past experience, I figure this is the point where some of the newbies may be in higher demand.  Before Christmas, people just really wanted to get any or all of the "series 1" ZZPs.  When we were surprised with "series 2" shortly before Christmas, it seemed that people had their specific favorite they REALLY hoped to be able to track down.  Jilly was the hot commodity at that time, though I knew plenty of people who were Scoodles, Winkie, and Nugget-lovers.  It will be exciting to see what new items pop up and when!

Though I wish they would have shown some of the new accessories in action in the video clip, I will certainly keep my eye open for any other news, photos, or videos to share here with you!

St. Louis, Twitter Party, and Misc.

Hello again, Zhu Zhu Fans!

Sorry for the mini-hiatus.. computers issues are now (hopefully) resolved.  Thanks for sticking with me through this and checking back in with the blog!

On Thursday, my Walmart once again had Zhu Zhu Pets™ Babies in stock!  There were three different ones on the pegs (no clothing this time)... I wonder if it will continue to be one case of 6 arriving at a time for awhile still.  Also, the Babies are now listed on Toysrus.com for 6.99.  It has been posted that they are arriving in TRU stores also!

Coincidentally, I just returned from a couple of days in St. Louis, home of Cepia, LLC.  For fun, I typed their address into my GPS and the office was only a 15 minute drive from the friend's home where I was staying!  I would have loved to have taken a photo for you all, but unfortunately I was not driving and we were on a schedule.  *sigh*  Maybe next time.

Last night while looking for a place to eat, we drove by a store that had a very professional sign with the Zhu Zhu Pets™ logo.  It immediatey caught my attention!  (Again, I wish I would have been able to get a photo).  I was able to quickly read the print under the sign, which read "Over 9000 Zhu Zhu Pets™ and Accessories in Stock!".  An entire brick-and-mortar store dedicated to Zhu Zhu Pets™!  I am very curious to the pricing... although I found that Zhu Zhu Pets™ hamsters and newer accessories were in plentiful supply at Toys R Us and Justice stores in the St. Louis area. 

☺☺☺

As announced on The Official Zhu Zhu Pets™ website, Maria Bailey of MomSelect will be hosting another Zhu Zhu Pets™ Twitter party and giveaway!  This will be tomorrow night in celebration of Mr. Squiggles birthday.  There will be some giveaways, so I hope you will be sure to attend.  I will be there!  (Twitter id: ZhuZhuHunters).  Feel free to shout out to me ☺

 If you haven't done a Twitter party before, they are fun but fast-paced.   The details, as posted on the website, are as follows:

Zhu Zhu Pets™/MomSelect Twitter Party

Date: January 31st, 2010

Time: 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. EST

Location: #MrSquiggles

Host: @MomTalkRadio (Maria Bailey, Founder of MomSelect)



During the jam-packed Zhu Zhu fest, we'll be giving away over 20 Zhu Zhu Pets™ hamsters, as well as awesome habitrail pieces and accessories. Kids are welcome to tweet alongside Mom!

For those of you new to Twitter, here are some tips on attending:

* If you don't already have a Twitter account, sign up for one at Twitter.com. It's extremely simple and a great way to connect with other moms and Zhu Zhu Pet fans.

* Make sure you are following the party hosts- @momtalkradio, @resourcefulmom

* Follow the instructions tweeted out by the party hosts to enter the contests and participate in the scavenger hunt!

* Keep up with the conversation by searching for the party hashtag (#MrSquiggles) and make sure you include it in your tweets as well.

* It can be helpful to use a site like tweetchat.com to help keep track of the conversation. We also recommend that you check in on the hosts' pages (Twitter.com/momtalkradio and Twitter.com/resourcefulmom) to keep track of the contest information.

* Grab your little ones and chime in to celebrate Mr. Squiggles Birthday!

Happy "Zhu" Year!

Back in September, I searched for websites where I could chat with other lovers about Zhu Zhu Pets™... where to find them, what was coming out, rumors, and that sort of thing. However, it seemed that the few sites around at that time were just disguises leading you to someone's eBay or Amazon listings. My answer to that was to create my own blog,and it has been so fun!

Three months later, I am pleased that the Zhu Zhu Pets™ Hunters blog has over 20,000 hits from unique visitors! The friendships I have made via the blog (as well as the Twitter and Facebook pages and Zoolert forums) give me joy each day. Additionally, I have had the opportunity to interact with Cepia LLC, a hometown company that has become very near to my heart. I feel blessed to have so much fun and to have an excuse to play with toys!

Here's to a great 2010 and all of the Zhu Zhu-related surprises to come this year!

♥Randi

Fuzzy Little Zhu Zhu Pets Babies™!

Happy New Year's Eve, Zhu Zhu Fans!!

Within the last couple of weeks, many lucky Zhu Zhu Hunters have found the baby ZZPs at CVS stores... some in time for Christmas! Since I first saw the photo on the back of the packages, I have been anticipating the arrival of these cuties.

Mom23 on Zoolert was able to track some down at her local CVS and was nice enough to share some photos with me.

Rather than the brightly-colored "prototype" babies pictured on the Zhu Zhu Pets™ packaging, the released babies are much more muted in color. Personally, I rather like the more natural yellows, grays, whites, and oranges over the bright blues/pinks/purples.

Also notice that instead of being shiny hard plastic, the babies are flocked for a slightly fuzzy look and feel! I really love that, and it makes them fit in better with the adult hamsters. The storyline is that the 6 baby hamsters are the offspring of Mr. Squiggles/Num Nums and Chunk/Pip Squeak. They are not battery-powered... instead they have a metal roller-ball on the bottom. The adult hamsters can push them around inside the hamster habitat, or you can put them in the stroller and let the parents push them around that way!

Each baby retails for $6.99 at CVS. It can be assumed that low-retail at Walmart/Target will be around the $5 mark. I cannot WAIT to find these little squirts ☺

Zhu Zhu Pets™ Craft Kit & 100-piece Puzzle

Good Evening, Zhu Zhu Lovers!

Last night I was surfing around and found a couple of cool new products to share with you! Cepia apparently has entered into a licensing partnership with a company called Cra-Z-Art, which specializes in kids crafty and creative items.

The "Super Fun Kit" contains stickers, tattoos, markers and various items to color and decorate. Additionally, there is a 12.5x11 inch 100-piece puzzle with a really cute beach picture of the hamster clan! Definitely fun items, and hopefully a taste of other licensed items to come in the future!

The activity set and puzzle are both available to purchase directly from the
Cra-Z-Art website.

(NOTE: You will need to become a new registered user with their website before you are given the option to add any of the items to your cart.)

The Super Fun Kit is 14.99 and can be purchased at this link .

The 100-piece puzzle is 4.99 and and can be purchased at this link .

Zhu Zhu Pets™ Showing up Everywhere!

Good Morning, Hamster Homies!

As promised, Zhu Zhu Pets™ are beginning to show up in more places, with some slightly different purchasing options. ToysRUs.com posted this photo of a NEW hamster 4-pack containing Nugget, Scoodles, Jilly, and Winkie. Retailing for 39.99 for the set, it has not been in stock yet at Toysrus.com per the Zoolert tracking system. However.... for a hefty premium, you can currently purchase this 4 pack and an 8-pack of Duracell AAA batteries at ToysRUs-owned eToys.com (79.99) or FAO Schwartz (89.99). Personally, I do not recommend paying an extra $40-50 for a pack of batteries.

On a side note: ToysRUs and their pricing has been a point of contention for several months now. The newest change has been the price for the TRU-exclusive "Giant Hamster City." The original stated price was $84.99 for the first round of presales, which seemed reasonable for the amount of items it contains. This was right around the low-retail price of stores, such as Walmart, and you had the chance to buy a lot of items in a convenient bundle.

When another round of presales began (which had an estimated ship date of 11/23...that didn't happen either), the price was raised to $99.99. The $15 price increase was annoying, but many people still ordered them. Now this week, the "Giant Hamster City" playset was featured in the ToysRUs flier. No price was listed, only "Hot Price" next to the photo. Wonder why? Now that it is available to purchase in stores, the price has raised again to $129.99!!! ToysRUs's own retail price for purchasing the pieces contained in this set individually is only $104. Just another puzzling inconsistency to add to the list.

A regional store that I am very familiar with is Shopko. Now Shopko is selling Zhu Zhu Pets™ products online! They tend toward slightly higher retail price (11.99 per hamster), but still much more reasonable than eToys/FAO Schwartz/eBay. Additionally, they are one of few stores that carries the Starter Set with Patches hamster, which you can also purchase online now! At this moment, "wave 2" new hamsters are not available.

You can become a fan of Shopko on their Facebook page and you will see them post as soon as new Zhu Zhu Pets™ items are added to their website.

Walmart.com has added a few new purchasing options to their Zhu Zhu Pets™ line-up. These include a bundle of the original 4 hamsters ($32); a "choose any 2 hamster" bundle ($16); and "choose any 1 hamster and 1 accessory" bundle ($18). Obviously, these bundles reflect Walmart's individual retail price for the items. Though not in stock yet, these are a low-cost and convenient option for those scrambling to complete an online checkout.

Rumors are that Kmart and Justice girls clothing stores will be carrying Zhu Zhu Pets™ items, though it may not be until after January 1.

So, with so many more online purchasing options, how do you keep track of it all? ZOOLERT! The free Zoolert online tracking service allows up to pull up a tracking screen (or minimize it on your computer) and it does the work for you. For Zhu Zhu Pets™ items, the system checks online retailers every 60 seconds for newly posted merchandise, then alerts you with an animal noise. You can also choose to get email alerts. Additionally, there are special tracking option for Zhu Zhu Pets™ Hunters in Canada and the UK!

Currently there are 4 main tracking options to choose from:

☺ For those of you only looking for the newly released hamsters, GO HERE

☺ For those of you looking for any hamster (old or new), bundle packs, or the "Giant Hamster City" playset, GO HERE

☺For beds, carriers, and playset accessories,GO HERE

☺ If you are really desperate and do not mind paying the highest-of-high "retail" of eToys and FAO Schwartz, you can GO HERE

Happy hunting everyone!!

"GoodGuide" Retracts Toxicity Allegations Aimed at Zhu Zhu Pets™

Hello everyone!

As if Monday wasn't bad enough to start with, I was greeted by news-coverage of the Zhu Zhu Pets™ toxicity allegations as soon as my daughter flipped on the TV this morning. To be fair, I will say that CBS did a good job of reporting on both sides of the story, and did end with the statement that the toys are safe to play with.

And as I listened to our local noon newscast, the debacle was also mentioned. Cepia LLC had even gone so far as to post their testing reports on their website's homepage . To me, this exemplified their confidence in their product.

I have been waiting to hear the Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) official verdict of the issue, which showed up on MSNBC.com about 2 hours ago. “ 'CPSC confirmed today that the popular Zhu Zhu toy is not out of compliance with the antimony or other heavy metal limits of the new U.S. mandatory toy standard,' agency spokesman Scott Wolfson said.". I highly recommend that you read the Associated Press article, in its entirety, at this link.

GoodGuide has also issued an official correction to its misleading statement:

"SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - December 7, 2009) - In a press release we issued on Saturday, December 5th, we published the results of our testing of chemical levels in toys and stated that certain toys we tested had antimony and chromium levels that exceed federal standards. Since issuing our release, we have learned that the testing methodology used in the federal standards (a soluble method) is different than the methodology we used in our testing (a surface-based method). Accordingly, while we accurately reported the chemical levels in the toys that we measured using our testing method, we should not have compared our results to federal standards. We regret this error.
Suzanne Skyvara"

WHAT?! They just learned that their testing methodology is not in compliance with what the CPSC and industry testing leaders recognize as accurate testing methods. Seriously? If you are going to attempt to make a name for yourself in the arena of consumer safety testing, wouldn't you think the #1 item on your to-do list would be to KNOW the recognized industry testing equipment and methods? To exemplify this, let me give you one more exerpt from the AP article from MSNBC.com:

"[The] claims fell apart Monday, when GoodGuide said the way it got its test results — using a special gun that shoots X-rays into a toy and gives a reading for how much lead, antimony or other substances are in the material — is not recognized by the CPSC for judging whether a toy is hazardous."

I am sorry if I seem more than a little irritated with the allegations, because I am. This bad publicity has spread like wildfire over the airwaves and internet within the last 24 hours. I have received emails and phone calls from concerned friends, "warning" me about my beloved Zhu Zhu Pets™ because of what they saw on the news. I just hope the airwaves are just as clogged tomorrow with news of GoodGuides retraction statement and Zhu Zhu Pets™ vindication. Twitter is already buzzing, so that is a good sign ☺

There is always a silver lining to that dark, nasty cloud: even with serious allegations lodged against their product during the busiest toy-shopping-season of the year, I really think Cepia did a great job of informing the public (via the email newsletter and the website homepage) and proactively releasing its toxicity reports, giving statements to the media, and working with the CPSC to clear its good name.

I promise, I will find happier things to talk about tomorrow! Good night everyone!

Untrue Toxicity Allegations Against Zhu Zhu Pets™

Good Afternoon, Zhu Zhu Lovers!

Unfortunately, I am having to pop in on this Sunday with some not-so-happy information. The Good Guide report claims that some of the hottest toys of the season contain unsafe levels of toxic elements. One such claim states that the Mr. Squiggles Zhu Zhu Pet™ contains unsafe levels of antimony and tin.

PLEASE BE ADVISED, CEPIA STATES THIS IS UNTRUE.

I was contacted by the good people at Cepia LLC. to spread the information to my blog-readers, as well as my Facebook and Twitter followers. Those of you on the Zhu Zhu Pets™ email newsletter list will also notice you received an email, as well. Especially with the popularity of the Zhu Zhu Pets™ this season, and the fact that millions of them are already under Christmas trees in waiting, it is important to get the facts out to potentially worried parents.

Cepia has released a statement, which can be viewed here.

Zhu Zhu Pets™ products are submitted to vigorous testing above and beyond industry standards, as stated in the press release. As quoted per CEO/founder Russell Hornsby,

"We are contacting the Good Guide people at this moment to share with them all of our Mr. Squiggles and Zhu Zhu Pet testing data so we can get to the bottom of how their report was founded," Russ Hornsby said. "We want to assure everyone already enjoying Mr. Squiggles or other Zhu Zhu Pets, and those planning to purchase Mr. Squiggles or another Zhu Zhu Pet this holiday season, that the toy is 100 percent safe and in compliance with all U.S. and European toy safety standards. I have been in the toy industry for more than 35 years, and being a father of children myself, I would never allow any substandard or unsafe product to hit the shelves. That's why we always test to not only meet but also exceed safety standards."

And she SCORES!!

Good Morning, Zhu Zhu Fanatics!

Yesterday my friend, Joanne in Washington, got lucky!! She was able to nab the 4 new hamsters at retail, and I am so glad for her.

From what she said, apparently Fred Meyer stores had a sale back in October. At that time Zhu Zhu Pets™ were $6.99 and before they realized the mistake, they handed out rainchecks for a day. So at first, they were hustling to fulfill those rainchecks.

Well, yesterday she received a call and was able to purchase some! Fred Meyer retail is $9.99, and they were limiting to 6 hamsters.

Here's hoping that those newbies start leaking their way eastward!

☺☺☺

New Hamsters have ARRIVED in store!

Good Morning, Zhu Zhu Hunters!

I hope everyone had a fun + relaxing Thanksgiving holiday/weekend! Did anyone brave the elements and stand outside of Toys R Us for a hamster? I still haven't seen one single hamster on shelves in about 2 months! I asked our Walmart, and they said they are only putting 3 hamsters on the shelf at a time when they do get stock in.

If you haven't already noticed, the NEW Zhu Zhu Pets™ hamsters have showed up in-hand on eBay. It appears they started making an appearance on Sunday evening. Completed listings for the pink-and-white Jilly, who seems to be the most sought-after of the bunch, range from $40-90.

From the information I have been able to gather, shipments containing the "New Four" arrived in Oregon and Washington at "Fred Meyer" stores. Apparently (as disclosed by a FM employee), the company air-freighted the stock directly in to their stores, which is probably the reason these new characters are showing up a bit ahead of schedule.

In this photo of Nugget, you can see that the back "tattoo" is now covered with a very prominent sticker that states "Please Keep Toy Away From Hair". And they all have a very large name sticker on the front of the box... no confusing Pip Squeak and Nugget now!

If more stores follow suit and begin to air-freight stock directly in, you might have a better chance at catching a newbie or two before Christmas than you originally thought!

Good luck, everyone!! Let the hunt resume!!

Misc. Zhu Zhu Pets™ Musings

Good afternoon, hamster homies!

This week I am elbow-deep in pie crust and turkey brine, so you may notice I am {being forced to} taking a slight bit of a break from the blog. However, that doesn't mean I won't be around if something exciting takes place!

First of all, a HUGE congratulations goes out to Cepia LLC and CEO Russell Hornsby for winning the "Toy Inventor of the Year" award for the Zhu Zhu Pets™! What a great accomplishment, and I am just so proud for them. It is so exciting to see a small company succeed in such a big way. This is a holiday season I am sure they will never forget on so many levels!

It has come to my attention today that CVS pharmacies are getting in a special shipment of Zhu Zhu Pets™ and accessories! There are a lot of reports of people finding them for $10 each on shelves. Other stores have confirmed they are expected in during this next week. I have been told that this is a one-time shipment, just for the holidays. If anyone gets lucky at CVS, please post about it!

As far as Black Friday goes, the only place I have heard that is definitely supposed to have Zhu Zhu Pets™ is ToysRUs. The latest I heard is 100 pets/store, with half being released at midnight and the other half being released at 6 a.m. Your best bet is to contact your local store and ask what their plans are.

As for other stores having ZZP on Black Friday? I haven't heard a thing! They are not mentioned in any of the ads I have seen. I suppose it is possible that Walmart and other stores may have been hoarding stock (like they did for 11/8)... the shelves and the online retail stores have been empty for quite awhile! And as the weekend and Cyber Monday roll around, will ZZP merchandise start showing up online?? Keep your Zoolert open and find out!

(If anyone has plans to stand in line at TRU for Zhu Zhu Pets™ on Black Friday and can snap some photos of the line, display, etc., I would be happy to post them here on the blog!)

☺☺☺

If I don't "see" you again before, I hope you all have a very happy, family+friend-filled Thanksgiving! Oh, and a safe and Zhu Zhu-filled Black Friday!

Hurry! Vote Zhu Zhu Pets™ as the "Toy of the Year!"

Good morning, Zhu Zhu Hunters!

As posted on The Hamster Blog , Zhu Zhu Pets™ are up for the TOY OF THE YEAR award!! How awesome is that?? If all of you can take a moment to vote today, it would be much appreciated! Go to the Official Nomination Page and under "Toy of the Year Nominee", vote for Russell Hornsby !!!

This week a great article was written and posted on Bloomberg's website about Cepia and the Zhu Zhu Pets™. I highly recommend you read it! It is amazing what this small company, with only 16 US-based employees, has accomplished this year alone. And, in my personal opinion and experience, they have not let it go to their heads. Mr. Hornsby's daughters definitely have my dream-job!

Okay... don't wait another moment... go VOTE now!

☺☺☺

Pictures of 2010 "Season 2" Zhu Zhu Pets™ Items!

Good Morning, Zhu Zhu peeps! We are halfway through another week again!

There is a ton of buzz about the sneak-peak of the upcoming Zhu Zhu Pets™ items for 2010. Parents are jokingly saying they wish they hadn't shown the video to their kids...they are already shouting for the new stuff!

My good friend FireMaiden was able to take some still-shots of the items in the video... visit her blog to see the photos! Take your time... they won't move ☺

I am so excited about what is going to be offered. Cepia is taking it to a whole new level! There are definitely parts that girls will like more (such as the beauty salon... or my favorite...the baby carriage! ). Other parts, like the airplane and cars, may appeal more to boys. *Sigh* We better start saving money for it now ☺

AMAZING!! Zhu Zhu Pets™ 2010 Line Sneak-Peak!!!

What an awesome evening, Zhu Zhu Fanatics!!

If you take a look on the Official Zhu Zhu Pets website homepage , you will see that they have given us a sneak peak of what is to come! BUT there is a catch. That sneaky Mr Squiggles played the video clip at lightening-fast speed! My genius web-guru sidekick was able to slow it down for us to enjoy...so... ENJOY!

*UPDATED* Hallmark Exclusive: Zhu Zhu Pets™ Easter Bunny!

*Update: Confirmation from Cepia LLC. : "Yes, Hallmark will sell Zhu Zhu Pets™ in 2010, with an Easter Special of ‘Fluffy’ the Bunny offered at Gold Crown stores"*

(This bunny isn't a Zhu Zhu Pet™, but isn't he cute?!)

Good Morning, Zhu Zhu Hunters!

I have jokingly said before that one good thing about the Spring 2010 Zhu Zhu Pets™ releases will be that we will have great Valentine's/Easter gifts! That sentiment was stepped up another notch with this rumor floating around: Hallmark Gold Crown stores are said to have an exclusive Zhu Zhu Pets™ Easter bunny to begin selling in March!

I saw a couple of different people on a message board say they were told this by their Hallmark store. I have been trying to validate this before I posted anything here. A regular of this site, Melissa from Florida, emailed me yesterday with another report. She states she actually saw a flier with a photo of the bunny on it... a white bunny with pink spots inside of its ears! Sounds adorable!

I hope I will have a photo to share with you all soon!

TRU holding stock for Black Friday?

(Empty hamster-shelves at TRU (photo property of @alotofnothing (Twitter))

I hope everyone is enjoying their "Zhu-nday" evening!

I hate to admit, when it comes to Toys R Us, I just feel out of the loop. Unfortunately, I do not even have a TRU within 100 miles of my home! Boo. Though the prices are slightly higher than Walmart/Target, it seems like they are more coordinated when they do get stock in. Since last Sunday, people just aren't reporting finding hamsters there at ALL. This has been a tough hunting week for brick-and-mortar stores!

Dionne just posted a helpful tidbit on my Facebook page, and I will repost the info here for all:

"TRU is going to release the hamsters only on Black Friday. They open at 12 midnight. I spoke to two different managers from different stores and I also saw for myself this morning that they have them in the Managers office. The managers told me they are not allowed to sell the hamsters until Black Friday ...or they get in trouble from corporate. They can only put out the accessories."

Very interesting! If they were opening at the average 5-6 a.m. mark, I think many people would be very torn: stand in line at TRU (possibly missing out on other store's Black Friday sales) or forget it. But the midnight thing makes it a whole other story!

My younger cousin is scheduled to work Black Friday at her TRU in Nebraska. I hope to get a full report of the chaos from her!!

TRU Zhu Zhu-Pile and a Giveaway!

Yeah! It's finally Friday!

It's been a busy day for me...DD5 is off from school, therefore I had to drag BOTH girls to the grocery store to take advantage of the "Friday the 13th" specials! Ugh. Now if they would take a NAP! I have a ton of groceries to put away now :P

FireMaiden sent me another photo from this past Sunday's "Zhu Zhu blitz" from her TRU. Even though she arrived 1 hour after the store opened, they still had 24 out of 50 hamsters, haphazardly piled on the floor next to Customer Service. She thinks this is probably a benefit of living in a more rural area... and I will have to agree!

Dont forget to stop by and register for Tinker Tell's Pixie Dust Express Pipsqueak Giveaway ! All you need to do is leave her a comment to get entered to win!

Have a happy, Zhu Zhu-filled weekend, everyone!