Petco flight cage vs Prevue flight cage

[mayble]

Is there any difference between the 30" x 18" cage sold under the Petco name and the one sold under the Prevue brand? Does anyone have both?
I really like the Petco cage and just bought my third. I was surprised and disappointed to find it had obviously been purchased and returned by someone else (with minor modifications). Not having time to return and exchange it (my fault for not planning ahead) I cleaned and disinfected it and will have to touch up the nicks in the finish before it starts to rust - I may as well have bought a used cage for less.
Petco usually has very good customer service so I'm curious to see how they handle this one, but I may end up buying the Prevue cages next time if they are the same.

[paul-inAZ]

I have Petco cages and can only compare them to the 30x18s I've seen in other pet shops and at fairs.
The Petco cage is worth the few extra bucks to me mainly because of the spring loaded door high up on one side. An ideal and very easy place to hang outside nest boxes with an entry hole closer to the ceiling.

The others are very slightly flimsier but the big difference is that their side door is a vertical slider and is located halfway up the side wall. Seems too close to the ground for a nest in my opinion.

The birds may or may not care but I think they prefer a nest location high up.

[mayble]

That is one of the features I like about the Petco cage, and the Prevue cage has it as well.
The Prevue is a few dollars more (on Amazon), but the free shipping makes up for some of the difference.
I only wish I could get it in black - it makes it so much easier to view the birds.

[Finnie]

I have a few of these cage made by different manufacturers, and so far I haven't been able to figure out which is which. Some of them are better than others, so yes, there IS a difference.

Some have very flimsy wire, and in fact, the bottom part underneath where the tray sits can be prone to breaking on those.

There are others that have a removable wire grate. Those seem to be ones with stronger wire.

The higher nest box door is nice, because I agree that the birds don't want their nest down low. But so far, I have cut my own doors because I want my nests on the left and in front. (Either on the front of the cage above where I have a perch, or on the side of the cage, but still close to the front.) It's easy to cut out about three wires, and when you want to remove the nest box, you can clip a square of wire mesh over the opening.

I find it frustrating that when I search for these cages, I can't tell by the on line photos whether it is the type with cheap flimsy wire or the type with nice solid wire.

[mayble]

Finnie
On the Petco cage I just received, the previous purchaser had apparently switched the end panels, so the nest box door is actually on the left and at the front. That was my first clue it was a return. Unfortunately they didn't pad the tools they used to re-tighten the connections, so the finish was broken.
Quite handy, I agree, (and I'll keep it that way) but I still wish they hadn't sent me a returned cage!

[Finnie]

Yes, that's true. If you're going to pay a new price for something, you want to put your own dents and scratches on it, not have them pre-made!

[mayble]

Just an update: I just received two Prevue cages and in my opinion the Petco is a much better cage at a better price.
One thing that attracted me to the Prevue is it's 3/8" spacing vs the Petco's 1/2" spacing. I have a few small waxbills, and thought 3/8" would be a safer option.
Wrong! The wire on these cages is so flimsy and flexible, a bird would have no trouble squeezing through. I knew as soon as I picked up the box that there just wasn't as much substance - even though there are more wires, the cage is noticeably lighter in weight. The Prevue cage is very similar to the cheap YML cages.
I'm sticking with Petco for these little cages. 99% of the time they are "on sale" at $36.99, so even with delivery that's a pretty good cage for forty bucks.

[Nerien]

I'm sticking with Petco for these little cages. 99% of the time they are "on sale" at $36.99, so even with delivery that's a pretty good cage for forty bucks.

If you get your order total up to $49, shipping is free. I always add in seed, treats, perches, bowls, dog toys, cat food, whatever else I can use, to get to the free shipping. Of course, I have a small zoo living in my house, so it's easy to come up with those extras. We always need something.

[mayble]

Nerien, I used to do exactly that, until I realized I was spending more on stuff I don't really need than I would for shipping. I also had issues when I received a defective item, and the refund would put me below the $49 limit. Do I pay the $5.99 shipping fee because my $4.99 perch was defective?
Now I use their Healthy Select brand of bird food, though, so it's very easy to spend enough to get the free shipping! My birds LOVE that stuff.

[Nerien]

That's why we'd buy cat food or dog food or something that we would end up buying anyway, hay, bedding, pellets, seed, etc.

Whenever I've had defective or damaged stuff, I call right up and they send a replacement. Never had a problem with customer service at all.

Should add the warning, do NOT order something that comes in a bag, like seed or those cooked food packets, AND something with a sharp edge, like perch branches with screw at the base and spikey ends, or last time it was a metal & wood swing but the wood shifted and the metal end poked out. The packing people, at least at the facilities on the east coast, just throw all small items into one box, loose, and the bag items get ripped open by the sharp items. I am so mad when I open a box and get seed or such dumped all over my living room, maybe that's why customer service is so nice to me, while I do not YELL at them, I am obviously very angry and ready to blow up, so they always make me happy/happier.

Actually, truly, while obviously mad, I do not yell at customer service at all. THEY did not pack the box. And they are always nice, and as helpful as they can be. But standing firm on the fact that it was their improper packing usually gets good results.

[mayble]

I've found their prices on dog and cat food, litter, etc to be outrageous compared to my local stores.

[Nerien]

Hmmm. Here, everything in their store costs more than online. And no other store, pet or otherwise, is giving any bargains, either. Guess it just shows you how different it can be in different parts of the country.

[Sally]

I know at Petsmart, their online prices are often much better than in the store, but they will not price match their own website!

[Nerien]

Petco is the same, however, at our local one, they have sometimes given us special coupons and stuff to bring the store price down to match the online price. At least when buying a significant amount of stuff, not when just one or two small items.

[mayble]

I guess I'm fortunate to have some of the small chains here that have a great selection of dog and cat stuff. Not as much for the birds, other than giant cuttlebones and millet sprays.
The nearest Petco is about fifty miles from here; I've never been there. Petsmart is closer, but I rarely go there - usually if I need something specific, and quickly. The last time I did, I went by the finches "just to look", and came home with one.
It's probably best that I don't go there more often.