Im guessing your american and i dont khink the show the film was based on was as big there as it is over here so just so you know zebedee is a creature who has springs just to travel though when it was out i think they just needed ideas for characters and his stood out more then others.
Go on wikipedia, type in "The Magic Roundabout". It's an old 60's-70's TV show that originated in France, the movie is based on this... Strangely they renamed it "Doogal" and changed the voice cast for the US Release...
Zebedee has always been a spring, he always will be...
What's really funny is that Doogal has an IMDB score of 2.5 and The Magic Roundabout has 5.5
I tried to watch it but it was terrible so I'd say 2.5 too. OTOH I lived for the Magic Roundabout when I was little. I still have a plastic Brian I got from a packet of Rice Krispies. Pretty chewed though.