The new attraction is the latest project completed as part of the zoo's £295,000 revamp programme.

The heated and covered exhibit has taken three months to build and allows visitors to get even closer to a variety of small animals, including pygmy hedgehogs, millipedes, African Giant land snail and a European mantis. Zoo Manager Matt Lewis, said:

“We opened the barn after demolishing the old one and replacing it with one double its original size. It’s not complete yet and we’ll continue adding more exhibits and animals to it over the coming weeks, including rabbits, rats and guinea pigs.

“We’re also creating separate corners, including a dedicated teaching area and a conservation corner where we can highlight all our animal projects and awareness weeks, which will make the barn more defined, before we turn to revamping the rest of the farm’s outdoor area after the summer.

Throughout the holidays, keepers will also be holding Creature Features every day, where visitors can get close to an invertebrate and a fluffy animal, between 12 – 12.45pm and 2.15 – 4.30pm.