Xref: utzoo rec.birds:1051 rec.pets:7258
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!intercon!ooblick@intercon.uucp
From: ooblick@intercon.uucp (Mikki Barry)
Newsgroups: rec.birds,rec.pets
Subject: Re: Cages - Quality at a price?
Message-ID: <1306@intercon.UUCP>
Date: 25 Jul 89 15:09:38 GMT
References: <6606@cloud9.Stratus.COM>
Sender: news@intercon.UUCP
Reply-To: ooblick@intercon.uucp (Mikki Barry)
Organization: InterCon Systems Corporation
Lines: 44


In article <6606@cloud9.Stratus.COM>, mm@cloud9.Stratus.COM (Mike Mahler) writes:
> As some (all?) of you have realized there is a tremendous markup
>     on parrot cages as wellas the parrots themselves.  With the
>     recent popularity of magazines devoted to avian research and pet
>     ownership, I've wondered if any of the mail order places have
>     better rates.  Has anyone any good/bad experiences with ordering
>     a cage by mail order?

I've just done extensive research on cages and prices (I needed a new cage
for my baby cockatoo).  "Birds" yearly magazine has an excellent article
on bird cages and possible problems/hassles one may find when ordering by
mail.  These range from missing or defective parts to dangerous sharp edges
and/or lead containing paint that can cause serious damage to your bird.

Unfortunately, all of the top quality cages I have found are sold either
exclusively by mail, or have the same prices from the dealer as they offer
by mail order.  The ones we especially likes were from Animal Environments
(very very nice, but expensive) and from Phoenix Cages.  We bought a Phoenix
cage from our dealer, since the price from mail order was the same and we
wanted to give our local pet store a break.  We found out later that the
shop threw in the grate and food bowls that cost extra from mail order. 

There are two "sales" going on this month that people may be interested in.
Tidy Home is offering $85 off its large cages until 7/31.  Also, Phoenix
is offering no freight charges for the month of July.  Given that the cage
we bought weighed 105 pounds, this would have been substantial.  Of course,
the dealer didn't charge freight but did charge sales tax, so it worked out
about the same with the free grate and bowls.

At a local shop they have some of the cages that are offered for cheaper
prices via mail order.  We looked at them and found they were not of very
good quality.  The paint came off easily, the bars rusted easily, and 
doors/grates/latches etc. seemed to be coming off.  We have a Bird Depot
cage that cost more than the Phoenix one that is also in similar shape to
the mail order cages.  The Phoenix cage is beautiful and comes in colors
at no additional charge.  We also liked the BAS series of cages, but their
colors were additional.  They're available mail order or from some dealers.

Mikki Barry



--