Deanowins

Hi, i'm new to this forum and a fairly new owner.

When we brought Sammy home we bought him a starter pack which was a hamster cage type habitate with a brown pellet type substrate and he has been in there about a year.

We take him out in the garden when its warm enough for him to have a rummage around.

I have decided to make my own indoor table 4foot long and 2 foot wide.

I have read conflicting views on many websites and even from the shop we got sammy from, depending on who's on duty when we visit there so i am after all the help i can get.

First of all... if i use topsoil as a substrate, i am planning on filling it to the depth of approx 5cm's.
Is that ok?
I have also read that you need to water the topsoil on a regular basis, is that right?

My next question would be where would be best to position my basking light and my uva striplight on this table? I believe it would be better to hang these lights overhead approx 30cm's above his/her shell.

I was thinking of putting little plants in the topsoil also, what are the best 1's to use?

Thanks in advance for any responses that i receive. The table should be finished in the next 2 hours so i can post pictures which might give people a better idea