Cepia's cute and furry robotic hamsters, marketed as Zhu Zhu Pets, promise to not "poop, stink or die" and have been branded the holiday season's hottest toys which are actually disappearing off shelves. Although the toys, which were introduced keeping in mind the current financial situation and are therefore very reasonably priced, are being carried by all major supermarkets across the county, frantic parents are still struggling to get their hands on them for one simple reason - more demand, and less supply.

Priced from $8 - $10, Zhu Zhu Pets are all interactive hamsters and each one has its own personality. For example, there's the quiet and laid back surfer Chunk, and then there is the overactive explorer Mr. Squiggles. These toys either drive around in their little hamster cars or run on hamster wheels.

"We haven't had a hot toy like this since 2006,", said Richard Gottlieb, a New York-based toy industry expert. "It's good because it drives people into the toy department. When they're back in the toy department, they buy other things.".

As the demand for these fuzzy toys rises, especially with Christmas right around the corner, Cepia will be required to rev up the production manifolds. At one Chinese plant, the production is happening at the rate of 30,000 Zhu Zhus per day, and this needs to go up-to atleast 200,000.

Some exasperated parents are turning to online retailers like Amazon. com, but these are selling the $10 toy for as much as $60.