Zhu Zhu Pets
Encyclopedia
Zhu Zhu Pets formerly Go Go Hamsters in the UK, is an American line of plush robotic hamster
toys, created by Cepia LLC in 2009. They were a craze during the 2009 Christmas season
holidays.
company, Cepia LLC. The name comes from Chinese 猪猪 zhū zhū, meaning "little pig." In late 2009 Cepia employed only 16 people in the U.S. and 30 in China. The original Zhu Zhu Pets are nine different characters, with names like Chunk, PipSqueak, Mr. Squiggles and Num Nums. There are also various accessories for creating customized hamster habitats. Zhu Zhu Pets can be put in either of two play modes: "nurturing mode," in which they coo and purr, or "adventure mode," in which they explore their habitat and respond to various stimuli. Zhu Zhu Pets were a craze during the 2009 holidays. The toys originally retailed for $9 USD, but for a time they sold for over $60 because of shortages.
In December 2009 testing done by the consumer organisation GoodGuide
was initially thought to have found more than the allowed level of the toxic metal antimony
in the toy Mr. Squiggles. After doing a review, regulators from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said that the toy was within the "very protective" standard. GoodGuide subsequently issued an apology saying their testing methods (which checked for surface toxins) were different from the federal standards (which check for soluble toxins.)
Cepia encourages collecting of Zhu Zhu Pets. Exclusive pets have been released in collaboration with Hallmark
, Build-A-Bear Workshop
and Toys "R" Us. In early 2010 a set of new characters was released, including the Rockstar pets (Roxie, Ryder, Pax and Kingston) which are inspired by the children of celebrities such as Angelina Jolie
and Gwen Stefani
. In mid 2010 the Kung Zhu line of battling hamsters was released, aimed at boys age 8–12. The line features a storyline with a Special Forces army battling Ninja Warriors. In December 2010 the Zhu Zhu Princess series was released. Also released in 2010 were the first edition of Zhu Zhu Babies, which are not electronic or plush, but plastic toys articulated with a small ball under their tummy. The second 2011 edition of Zhu Zhu Babies included motors. Also in 2011, several dog breeds of Zhu Zhu Puppies were introduced. They are plush robotic puppies that move around and bark. In 2010 the first Zhu Zhu Pets video game was released for Nintendo DS
, iPhone
and PC. The sequel ZhuZhu Pets 2: Featuring The Wild Bunch was also released for Nintendo DS and Wii
as well as Zhu Zhu Pets: Kung Zhu for Nintendo DS. In 2011 Zhu Zhu Princesses: Carriages & Castles and Zhu Zhu Puppies were released for Nintendo DS. In 2011, a second edition of Kung Zhu was released: Samurai hamsters. On 27 September 2011, the franchise's first full-length feature film Quest for Zhu
was released straight to DVD. A second full-length feature film (titled The Power of Zhu) is being made, likely this DVD's release is sometime in 2012.
Hamster
Hamsters are rodents belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae. The subfamily contains about 25 species, classified in six or seven genera....
toys, created by Cepia LLC in 2009. They were a craze during the 2009 Christmas season
Christmas season
Christmastide is one of the seasons of the liturgical year of most Christian churches. It tends to be defined as the period from Christmas Eve to the evening of 5 January, the day before Epiphany...
holidays.
History
Zhu Zhu Pets were created by Russ Hornsby for his St. LouisSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
company, Cepia LLC. The name comes from Chinese 猪猪 zhū zhū, meaning "little pig." In late 2009 Cepia employed only 16 people in the U.S. and 30 in China. The original Zhu Zhu Pets are nine different characters, with names like Chunk, PipSqueak, Mr. Squiggles and Num Nums. There are also various accessories for creating customized hamster habitats. Zhu Zhu Pets can be put in either of two play modes: "nurturing mode," in which they coo and purr, or "adventure mode," in which they explore their habitat and respond to various stimuli. Zhu Zhu Pets were a craze during the 2009 holidays. The toys originally retailed for $9 USD, but for a time they sold for over $60 because of shortages.
In December 2009 testing done by the consumer organisation GoodGuide
GoodGuide
GoodGuide.Com is an online web and iPhone app tool created by Dara O'Rourke which enables consumers to retrieve evaluations of the health, environmental, and social impacts of consumer products such as toys, food, and detergents...
was initially thought to have found more than the allowed level of the toxic metal antimony
Antimony
Antimony is a toxic chemical element with the symbol Sb and an atomic number of 51. A lustrous grey metalloid, it is found in nature mainly as the sulfide mineral stibnite...
in the toy Mr. Squiggles. After doing a review, regulators from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said that the toy was within the "very protective" standard. GoodGuide subsequently issued an apology saying their testing methods (which checked for surface toxins) were different from the federal standards (which check for soluble toxins.)
Cepia encourages collecting of Zhu Zhu Pets. Exclusive pets have been released in collaboration with Hallmark
Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards is a privately owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce C. Hall, Hallmark is the largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was awarded the National Medal of Arts....
, Build-A-Bear Workshop
Build-A-Bear Workshop
Build-A-Bear Workshop is an American retailer headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri that sells teddy bears and other stuffed animals. Customers go through an interactive process in which the stuffed animal of their choice is assembled and customized during their visit to the store, and is the...
and Toys "R" Us. In early 2010 a set of new characters was released, including the Rockstar pets (Roxie, Ryder, Pax and Kingston) which are inspired by the children of celebrities such as Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is an American actress. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009 and 2011. Jolie is noted for promoting humanitarian causes as a Goodwill Ambassador for the...
and Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani is the lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded her first solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. The album was inspired by music of the 1980s, and was a success with sales of over...
. In mid 2010 the Kung Zhu line of battling hamsters was released, aimed at boys age 8–12. The line features a storyline with a Special Forces army battling Ninja Warriors. In December 2010 the Zhu Zhu Princess series was released. Also released in 2010 were the first edition of Zhu Zhu Babies, which are not electronic or plush, but plastic toys articulated with a small ball under their tummy. The second 2011 edition of Zhu Zhu Babies included motors. Also in 2011, several dog breeds of Zhu Zhu Puppies were introduced. They are plush robotic puppies that move around and bark. In 2010 the first Zhu Zhu Pets video game was released for Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
and PC. The sequel ZhuZhu Pets 2: Featuring The Wild Bunch was also released for Nintendo DS and Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
as well as Zhu Zhu Pets: Kung Zhu for Nintendo DS. In 2011 Zhu Zhu Princesses: Carriages & Castles and Zhu Zhu Puppies were released for Nintendo DS. In 2011, a second edition of Kung Zhu was released: Samurai hamsters. On 27 September 2011, the franchise's first full-length feature film Quest for Zhu
Quest for Zhu
Quest for Zhu is a 2011 American direct to DVD animated action/adventure comedy film. It is based on the Zhu Zhu Pets franchise and is the first full-length feature film. It stars Mariah Wilkerson, Shannon Chan-Kent, Ian James Corlett, Sean Campbell, Erin Mathews, Jillian Michaels, Jan Rabson, and...
was released straight to DVD. A second full-length feature film (titled The Power of Zhu) is being made, likely this DVD's release is sometime in 2012.
External links
- Zhu Zhu Pets website
- Cepia LLC website
- http://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialZhuniverse Official "Zhu Zhu Pets" YouTube Page