According to CPSC, Zhu Zhu Pets are safe! (Photo via Wikimedia.org)

This week, the holiday must-have toy of the season, Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters, have been under scrutiny as concerns surfaced recently on whether or not the fun little critters are safe for the general public. According to consumer group ‘Good Guide’ earlier this week, Mr. Squiggles and the other Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters contain high levels of anatomy which has been linked to lung and heart problems.

Consumer Product Safety Commission on Zhu Zhu Pets

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released a statement on Monday, Dec. 7, that the toys are safe and meet all federal standards for toys being sold in the United States, according to Nicole Franklin who writes for Examiner.com.

Furthermore, the makers of Zhu Zhu Pets, Cepia LLC, said that ‘Good Group’ used an “inferior” testing methodology that has “’not been determined to be a reliable test method’ by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in August of 2009,” says Zhu Zhu Pets CEO Russ Hornsby. He also adds that the products are tested internally and reviewed by an independent 3rd party.

Good Guide has released their own statement, apologizing for the claims that were made earlier this week:

“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.”

Good Looking Out, Good Guide

Personally, I don’t bash the consumer group for raising concerns and questions on whether or not Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters are safe. As a matter of fact, I applaud them for taking the initiative to make sure we are not posing any health risks on our loved ones, especially our children. You can never be too sure these days.

In case you are still planning on getting Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters this Christmas, rest assured that all three major retailers – Walmart, Toys R Us, and Target – are standing behind the findings of the CPSC and will continue to sell all Zhu Zhu Pets and accessories.

Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters operate like real hamsters. (Photo via annia316, Flickr.com)

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is currently investigating whether the Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters are unsafe. According to a consumer group called Good Guide, the Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters, which has become the holiday season’s must-have toys, may contain high levels of antimony. The group claims (information posted on their website) that Mister Squiggles, the light brown hamster in the Zhu Zhu Pets toy line, contains unsafe levels of antimony which can cause cancer, lung and heart problems.

The makers of Zhu Zhu Pets, however, are denying the claims and sustaining their grounds. “All our products are subjected to several levels of rigorous safety testing conducted by our own internal teams, as well as the world’s leading independent quality assurance testing organization, and also by independent labs engaged by our retail partners,” Russ Hornsby, CEO of Cepia, said in a written statement. “The results of every test prove that our products are in compliance with all government and industry safety standards.”

Zhu Zhu Pets, Love at first Sight

I was blown away ever since I first heard about the Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters. They’re just absolutely adorable! I know several kids in my family that want one, and I’ve been somewhat budgeting for these little critters for Christmas. I don’t bash ‘Good Guide’ for making a big stink about the Zhu Zhu Pets. As a matter of fact, I’m glad they voiced their concerns. Even if they are wrong about the product being unsafe, it never hurts to be safe.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is running examinations to find out the exact levels of antimony and whether Zhu Zhu pets have unsafe levels of the chemical. So if you are planning on getting Zhu Zhu Pets this Christmas, you might want to wait until the results are released before you spend your money.

Related Articles:

- Are Zhu Zhu Pets Unsafe? Feds Conduct Investigation

- Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters | The Hottest Toy for the Holidays 2009?