HQ and A&E double flight cage, are they exactly the same?

[metinemre]

What is the difference between these two double flight cages? Quality? Only price? I need to make a decision within few days to pick one.
Thanks for your replies.

[cindy]

I have both, one HQ and the other A&E...the bars and how they are constructed is different as well as the door lock mechanism. The bars on the HQ are threaded trough the cross bars and can rust in areas. The A&E cages are a bit heavier and the bards are welled. I prefer the A&E cage.

If you do a google search for both some sites allow you to enlarge and scroll over the pictures (cages) for better inspection.

[Sunbay]

I have one of the A&E cages, just like the picture.
Supposedly.
It came in a huge box, many pieces and NO INSTRUCTIONS!

Did yours come with assembly instructions? I have googled, and googled, and can't find any. I am sure I can eventually figure it out - but directions would be nice....

[Nerien]

Is the bar spacing the same on both? Would they hold the tiny OB and OC Waxbills?

Mine came with directions, for what they are ever worth.
Basically, build the base first, using the bigger bolts. It's two ends, which have the higher rounded part, and one middle, which is just flat across, some crossbars front and back, and the bottom shelf grates, which are bigger and heavier grates than all the cage parts.

Then build one side of the cage, with a solid cage side on one end, and the open frame for the divider guide on the other. The part of the sides with the track guides for pan and grate go at the bottom. Then build the other side, with the cage side on the other end, and the open divider frame guide toward the center again. Then, I think, it was put each side into the frame, then they screw together to secure the whole thing--the two halves of the cage, I don't believe it actually screws to the base, I think it just nestles into it. For the door locks, if they aren't already on, the larger, hooking part screws onto the door, the skinny catch part onto the frame. Then there's a little metal tab, and maybe some washers (I forget) screw that into the little hole at the top of the doorframe. It doesn't go completely tight, it becomes a little swinging door catch, you have to swing it up to open the door or close it, but then it swings right back down so that if you forget to do the latch it keeps the door closed anyway.

the fronts have the doors, obviously, the backs are just bars, and the same width as the front, and the sides are narrower than front or back, and have the little nestbox hatch at the top. The middle where the divider can be slid in are the two frames that are the same size as the sides. The tray and grate tracks are on the bottom of the side and middle pieces, and be sure to face the tracks in towards each side so that they will hold up each tray and grate for each half.

Wish I still had the directions themselves, but I've had my cage for well over 2 years and they are long gone.



If I can get my son to take pictures of all the joints & parts that need assembling later, I will post them for you.

[Sunbay]

Thanks so much, Nerien! We have 5 college educated people here, a construction contractor, and a helpful Spaniel. We are in 'Some Assembly Required' Hell.


Every foreign swear word, and even some made up ones have been heard.

Even a good photo would have been helpful! There seem to be extra holes that serve no purpose - and just what the heck are those "H" bracket thingees? And, there are just not enough pieces to form a bottom shelf....this CAN'T be like the picture, even though the one I bought had the exact same photo as the A & E you posted.

They should include a bottle of wine in the box.

[Nerien]

My A&E came in TWO boxes. Did yours? Or are you missing a box?

The two bottom shelves are big, heavy grates, with about 1" spacing.

The center divider grate is as large as a side piece, with a handle. I think I see it there.

The bottom grates are smaller than the divider one, and have handles. They will be slightly smaller than the top pieces.

The fronts and backs are obvious, they are the biggest pieces, fronts have doors, back are just solid.

The sides are narrower, and have the small nestbox hatch at the top. The tops are the same width, but just solid bars, no hatches.

The divider guides/frames are just frames, with a center crossbar, the same size as the sides.

There may well be holes with no use. Pieces are made to be able to be used for several different model cages.

I have no idea what those H bracket thingies are. Or why you have extra tray guides/rails, on mine the sides/centers had them as all one piece with the sides.

The cage has no cage bottom, the slide out trays and grates form the bottom. So don't ever pull both tray and grate out at the same time! (We have been lucky when starting to make this mistake, birds stayed up top!)

[Sally]

I bought my HQ double flight some years ago, so I can't remember how I put it together. I do remember that there were NO directions, but there was a drawing. I also remember getting it halfway put together when I realized I had done something wrong and had to take it apart and start all over again. Definitely needs to be shipped with a bottle of wine included!

All my single HQ flights were purchased used, so someone else had the pleasure of putting them together. I will look at mine tomorrow, it has been emptied out in order to power wash it, to see if I can help. I do know that there will be 2 fronts, 2 backs, 2 tops, 2 sides, 2 bottom shelves, 2 grates and 1 divider. So you should have 13 total pieces that have bars in them. Then the cart and trays.

It looks like the 2 tray glide pieces you have will need to be fastened to the center cart legs. The 2 side (or end) pieces should have the tray glides built in. I don't have a clue what those H pieces are--I'll try to see where they might be on my model. And with my cage being an older model, it may be a little different.

Hang in there, though it is extremely frustrating, you will love the cage when it is finally put together. This is one of my pet peeves with all these products that come from certain other countries--little to no instructions, or statements that are so confusing that the simplest thing takes hours.