Rather than laminated pine? I've used edge-glued pine panels for non-reptile projects and have found them suseptible to warping.



As far as plastic cages, I'd add that in the hands of an experienced builder the welds (whether they be solvent or thermal) make for "one-piece" joints that are stronger than than the material used.



How experienced some of the builders supplying plastic cages are is another question. Plastics are tricky and have a steep learning curve.



Also, look up the specs on both laminated plywood and the various plastics used in herp cages. I think you'll be surprised to find that the weight savings are not that great unless 1/4" plastic is used. But with 1/4" plastic you often get a flimsy cage and one that has poor puncture resistance.



I'd hate for a picture to fall of the wall and liberate some of my snakes...



Lastly, many plastics do not allow the use of all types of disinfectants. PVC, ABS, styrene, and acrylic can all crack when exposed to different types of typical disinfectants. Some of these plastic also warp when exposed to temperature differentials.



I don't have a list of what combinations do not work. The info is out there if you look for it.



Lastly, plastic cannot be refinished as easily as wood if it gets scratched up or damaged.



I'm still excited about plastics and think that expanded PVC has a lot of potential applications but there are downfalls.

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