Remember the hunt for Tickle Me Elmo? That was child’s play. This year’s must-have toy will be harder to get than ever. Zhu Zhu Pets, small robotic hamsters, have taken the market by storm. Kids can’t stop talking about them and they are flying off the shelves at retailers everywhere. Walmart, Target, and Toys ‘R’ Us, just can’t seem to keep them in stock.

“It’s the hottest toy I’ve seen since I’ve been at Toys ‘R’ Us, and old-timers tell me this is one of the hottest toys in history,” said Jerry Storch, Toys ‘R’ Us CEO. Zhu Zhu Pets are expected to generate $350 million to $400 million in a 12-month cycle.

Part of the problem is that the current economic climate has made retailers squeamish about ordering large quantities of stock. As a result, supply just wasn’t ready and many were caught off guard by the surge in demand. Supplies for all of this year’s hottest toys will be tight, but Zhu Zhu Pets are on a level of their own.

Unfortunately, it’s not just eager parents that are trying to catch these elusive hamsters. Enterprising individuals are snatching them up and selling them at a 300% or higher markup on Amazon and eBay. Some retailers are trying to help clamp down on this by putting a limit on how many Zhu Zhu Pets a customer can purchase.

How do you find Zhu Zhu Pets? You’ll have to wake up bright and early and keep checking the big retailers as soon as they open. Walmart, Target, and Toys ‘R’ Us get more stock on a weekly basis, although the specific day is a mystery. Zhu Zhu Pets aren’t even being advertised in fliers because the demand is simply too high. Not a morning person? Prepare to pay the inflated prices on eBay and Amazon. Those prices will only get higher as Christmas approaches, so hurry up! But exercise caution: fraudulent Zhu Zhu Pets offers abound.

So, will you be getting Zhu Zhu Pets? Click here to vote in our poll.