The first thing to consider is, obviously, adequate and secure accommodation for your spider. It is highly unlikely that any escaped spider would present a risk or danger to you but they might be at risk from other people or from the number of hazards which would litter its path as it travelled through your home. Thus get a secure tank which is well ventilated and which has an environment which suits the type of spider which you have; some may like dark unlit corners whereas some will like light spaces- like we said earlier, you need to do your research to determine which environment will better suit your spider.

Then you need to consider what type of spider you want and whether or not it is suitable for your location. Many people enjoy keeping tarantula’s and, whilst the dangerous elements of these spiders’ is often removed before they are sold, they are still not docile nor domestic creatures and, as such, will not be able to be handled all that much. If you are on the lookout for a pet which you can sit and stroke then you are probably better off going down a different road- Spiders in their cages make great features in a room and can be fascinating to observe but they aren’t for curling up on the settee and cuddling. In order to ensure the best quality of life for your spider, you should also consider getting comprehensive pet insurance for it as well.

The first thing you will need to consider with any dog is accommodation; both your own and that of your new pooch. Depending on the size of your dog, you will need to ascertain whether or not you have enough space. Do you live in a small flat or is there enough land for your dog to run around and get exercise; will it be sleeping outside and, if so, is there adequate protection there? Or will it be sleeping inside and, if so, where? Once you’ve sorted all this out, indeed spacing issues may well dictate what sort of dog you can actually get, you are ready to work out if you can financially afford a dog.

There are many hidden costs which people don’t think about when they first take the decision to get a dog. First of all there are the vet’s bills which can be very high; your dog will need inoculations and vaccinations before it is allowed to go out and be amongst other dogs. There are also the unforeseen costs, the ones bourn due to the health problems which your dog may well encounter in later life (particularly if it is a pedigree breed). In order to protect against this, you should take out comprehensive pet insurance which will cover your pet throughout its life (details vary from policy to policy so do your homework) and ensure that any necessary work can be paid for.

Another thing which many people often forget with dogs is the need to get third party liability insurance; if your dog injures someone else or causes an accident then it’s you that’s liable, protect yourself and, in doing so, protect your dog.