Building a Tortoise Enclosure And Have A Few Questions.....walls, substrate, etc!

I am going to build a tortoise box for my 2 year old RT, Franklin. I am thinking it will be about 2 feet wide by 5 feet long. I would love to make it wider, but just don't have the space. I have a few questions:

1. How high should the walls be? I read somewhere that 2x the length of the tortoise is good, but would like your opinion.
2. I'm thinking of just building a basic wood box and then layering pea gravel for drainage, then peat moss/organic topsoil, then topped with orchid bark. Do you think this will work?
3. Do I need to line the bottom of the box with anything before laying down the gravel? I don't want to use anything that could be harmful to Franklin.
3. I'm going to have at least one humid hide and some live plants. Suggestions on what plants would be grow well?

Also, I would LOVE to see pics of indoor enclosures you have made!

I used the first as reference..the others are examples of how I am designing my baby redfoots home...can you make it 6ft instead of 5? Rt are quite mobile...best to have high walls..higher if you want to add a 2nd deck for yours..,my walls are 15in high...I sealed the corners with flex-seal so the substrate is kept inside...built her a lil house within and place hay there..bottom is lined with plastic and stapled to the plywood..use fake plants...real ones get crushed!! Jajajaja

No gravel, use top soil with play sand...a 50/50 mix.. I have used tort grass, grows tall and quickly..as well as aloe vera plants...

Thank you Alex for the tips and awesome pictures! That is a big help!

So, the fake plants won't harm him if he tries to eat them?

You are quite welcomed...no it would not ..they go for it and realize its not edible...you see it will be sleeping around them!!

Any other questions feel free to ask..

Here is a link to a table I made to go in my screened in porch area - maybe some ideas you can use:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/new-outdoor-table-lots-of-pics.90225/#post-840807

richosullivan said:

Here is a link to a table I made to go in my screened in porch area - maybe some ideas you can use:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/new-outdoor-table-lots-of-pics.90225/#post-840807

Click to expand...

Beautiful..

I love it! Thanks for the pics, that really helps!