Quote Originally Posted by Regius_049 View Post
1. I believe your airflow will be sufficient with the above design.

2. Assuming that plywood is only used on the sides and top, it should be fine at 3/8". These areas are not the most likely to sag/warp due to chronic stress. That said, they will likely warp due to exposure to a humid environment if they are not treated in some way to resist moisture. I would get plywood (like melamine) that is designed to be water resistant.

3. If I were designing a cage of those dimensions, I would use 1/2" acrylic for the bottom and long pieces. The acrylic on the doors does not really matter, but over time, I can almost guarantee you that 3/16" will sag on the bottom. If you have a lot of anchor points (i.e. nails), this will help, but I think that thickness is too thin. For comparison, you will notice that most plastic cage manufacturers use somewhere in the range of 3/8" (Constrictors NW) to 1/2" (Animal Plastics) for their caging. Sagging and overall strength is the reason.
Thanks, I do plan on sealing the plywood thoroughly with polyurethane or something like that. That should help with the warp, but I'll look into melamine as well.


I'll plan on using thicker acrylic for the bottom, then, and possibly the doors if it doesn't increase the cost too much. I suppose adding more wooden supports underneath the acrylic could allo help with sagging, but I'd rather just go for the thicker acrylic. Thanks!