WEST Somerset's Tropiquaria has launched a new nocturnal house filled with fascinating creatures including snakes, kinkajous and mouse lemurs.

It was opened just in time for grandparents weekend and has been an instant hit with the visitors.

The idea for the nocturnal house came last year when the curator of the radio museum announced that he was moving to Watchet to expand the collection.

Tropiquaria’s zoological director Chris Moiser, said: “I had always wanted to have a nocturnal house, and having seen some interesting ones in other zoos over the years thought that I could bring together some of the better ideas, and hopefully not make some of the mistakes that certain other zoos had made.

"The only problem is that we didn’t have much money to spend on it. However that was a challenge rather than a reason not to proceed."

Local businesses chipped in and the staff managed to put together then full structure for around £4,000.

"In the end we were donated several windows that Watchet glass had taken out when re-glazing some local properties. Alder Windows and Doors in Minehead also supplied some.

CRS supplied the wood at a very competitive price, and the Exmoor Handyman came in to complete the electrics.

Mr Moiser and his staff did most of the actual building, donating much of their spare time to the project.

"In the end the construction involved over 1,000 feet of 9” x 2”planking, six sheets of plywood, 15 windows, 12 doors, and more than 3,000 screws.

"We now have seven cages of various sizes in there with red light on during the day because most mammals do not see into red very well compared to humans," Mr Moiser said.

"We then put on white light at night, and effectively reverse day and night for these animals. This means that our visitors can see them during ordinary visiting hours."

"We have moved some of our existing animals in, but also have acquired a pair of kinkajous and some sugar gliders for the first time at Tropiquaria.

"All seem to be settling in well, and in the first week of opening many of the regular season ticket holders are seeing animals that they have not seen before."