Zhu Zhu Pets Are OK: Here’s How to Find Out if Other Toys Are Safe

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There is awarning on the boxes as well as the pets to keep away from the hair. Although it does grab your skin as well. my youngest daughter (3) decided to hold against her body and the wheels pinched her skin. Later in the day after warning my kids to keep pets away from hair, again, my youngest learned a hard lesson; yes she got the thing stuck in her hair. To stop the wheels, you press the little mark on the hamsters back and it shuts it off. It took about 2 minutes to unhook from her hair, she wasnt traumatized, but will not place near her hair anymore.

Crystal of FL 11:40AM December 27, 2009

My son put a Zhu Zhu pet on my head to "tickle" me! Twenty painful minutes later, my sister FINALLY got the thing out of my hair (along with a good chunk of my hair no less). I guess they are making a new version that automatically stops the wheels from moving when you pick up the thing off of the floor. PLEASE be careful if your kids have one. If they don't have one - DON'T GET ONE!!!!

J G of RI 6:44PM December 23, 2009

There has been a frenzy surrounding these Zhu Zhu pets. My kids both want one for Christmas and I have been looking everywhere. I found a great contest for other parents. Its at http://blog.k12directoryofschools.com/k-12-education-industry/free-zhu-zhu-pet-giveaway-contest-k12-directory-schools/. All you have to do is e-mail them saying why your child deserves a Zhu Zhu pet and they will send you one free of charge. Hope this helps!

Jessica of CA 2:49PM December 17, 2009

Unlike the majority of people who will be giving out their gifts this Christmas, I am Jewish so my wife and I gave our little ones their gifts on the first day of Chanukah, December 11th. While we were struggling to put the Zhu Zhu pet activity set together (the instructions were unclear and there were key pieces missing from the sealed package) my, soon to be 5 year old, daughter took Mr. Squiggles and gave him a hug - as most 5 year olds would do with such a cute toy. It was then when we heard her screaming and we leapt to her attention we found her hair tightly wound around one of its wheels. It was terrible! I looked everywhere for an on-off switch, but there was none to be found! Every time we were able to pull a small amount of hair out of the wheels, the motor would reverse pulling her hair further into the, now not so cute, mechanism. My daughter’s screaming did not help. I told my wife to grab the tool kit as I held the wheel from turning. My sister in law tried to calm my now hysterical daughter down. When I got the screwdriver I quickly disassembled the device. It still took some time before we finally cut the hair loose. I don't know how long it took to finally cut her loose from Mr. Squiggles, but my daughter was so traumatized she will be set into a panic any time she even sees the thing.
The mechanism on which these toys are based is a simple reversing clutch mechanism with a motor you used to see in toys featured in the 60s and early seventies. The Zhu Zhu manufacturers failed to do what so many of the toy manufacturers did in those earlier toys; they failed to include an on-off switch. This, I believe, is in violation of laws governing such mechanisms. I'll have to see.
All I am saying is to watch out. I love Christmas and I don't want any other child traumatized by something that is given to them with love on such a beautiful holiday.
By the way, the Zhu Zhu pet does have a warning, not printed anywhere else but on its material disclosure tag in very fine print.

Isaac Gesser of CA 11:41AM December 15, 2009

now the prices on ebay will climb again... not toxic and last minute shopper getting desperate. lol.

santa of NY 2:15AM December 09, 2009

Look for the warnings - if they are in fine print wash your hands thoroughly.That is what the manufacturer of my 99 cent only store headphones advised users to do after handling the cord because of a chemical found to cause cancer.Made in China ...un-naturally.

John of TX 8:36PM December 08, 2009