[emma_mcraf]

Hi Andy,
You’ve had great answers already to your questions.
Regarding the top soil, it is the best substrate and a good few inches deep if you can as Horsfields love to dig down.

I buy Wickes sterilised topsoil and find it doesn’t have too many bits in it. Your tort will get covered, as will its water dish as it walks in and out!
Some people have little pebbles around the water dish to try to keep it cleaner for longer. My torts clearly levitate as the water needs doing a couple of times a day!

It sounds like you’ve done plenty of research already. No question is a silly question. It’ll be good to see your new tort when you post photos. It’s likely to be too early to sex correctly, but he might be very male and distinctive.