Zhu Zhu Pets are the latest toy craze this holiday season. However, according to some safety experts, the stuffed hamster look-alikes contain unsafe levels of tin and antimony. Antimony is a metal with potential health hazards, with a federal limit of 60 parts per million. Zhu Zhu pets’ “Mr. Squiggles” contains 93 parts per million of antimony in his fur, and another 103 parts per million in his nose. Similarly, tin was also found in the Zhu Zhu pets’ fur, which is potentially harmful to the immune and nervous systems.
A consumer safety group, CBS, discovered the high levels of both leads in Zhu Zhu Pets and warns consumers to return the product as soon as possible. Nevertheless, the maker of Zhu Zhu Pets, Cepia LLC, argues that the toys are perfectly safe and that the rumors surrounding the product were conjured up by one website. Cepia LLC has since issued a statement defending their product and is conducting their own testing on Zhu Zhu Pets to check for the dangerous metals.
Information released today indicates that there will be no recall of Zhu Zhu Pets “Mr. Squiggles”. However, given the recent problems with high levels of lead in toys imported from China, it is probably best to be safe than sorry when it comes to purchasing gifts for your children this holiday season.
recently named in the 2009 edition of Best Lawyer's In America, David Mittleman has been representing seriously injured people since 1985. A partner with Church Wyble PC—a division of Grewal Law PLLC—Mr. Mittleman and his partners focus on medical malpractice, wrongful death, car accidents, slip and falls, nursing home injury, pharmacy/pharmacist negligence and disability claims.
4 Comments
kwstas
Hi! I just read your interview in Down Town and it was awsome!
Nathan @ Munro's Safety Apparel
I beleive they recently came out and claimed their report was false but parents should still be weary about letting their children put these toys in their mouth.
Jane Akre
David-
The latest on the Zhu Zhu pet can be found in this InjuryBoard update.
http://www.tinyurl.com/ykb78vk
Westchaser
Hello. As of 28-Dec-2009, it is CONFIRMED that Zhu Zhu pet MR. SQUIGGLES does contain high / DANGEROUS levels of Antimony. See the Wikipedia definition of Antimony here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimony
EXCERPT:
Antimony and many of its compounds are toxic. Clinically, antimony poisoning is very **similar to ARSENIC poisoning**. In small doses, antimony causes headache, dizziness, and depression. Larger doses cause violent and frequent vomiting, and will lead to death in a few days.
Why in God's name would any toy manufacture include such a DANGEROUS chemical and then, only AFTER public discovery (no product warning on the box), defend it as safe?!
CEO defensive rebuttal: www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/06/zhu-zhu-pets-recall-toxic_n_381746.html
In my opinion, the public should AVOID Zhu Zhu pets altogether.
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