Leaving them to free range?

My two have really been enjoying free-ranging the garden lately. They love it so much and there are plenty of binkies and bunny 500's to be seen when they're out there

Our garden is VERY enclosed i.e. securely fenced all round. We have no grass (other than the grassy patch we've planted for them to nibble on the decking) and no hedges or anything - it is literally a 'box' which is secured entirely by fencing, and the whole garden is gravel or concrete.

I was just wondering what you guys thought about letting them free range it through the evening? It would be nice for my chinchillas to have longer out of their cage and so I was thinking of setting it up so as they were in the garden from about 6-9pm and the chins could also have the run of the room during this time as opposed to 30 minutes or so that they get out of the cage now. They'd have access to food, water, hideys etc and also the option to hop into the hallway/utility room (they are on the ground floor) and sit there if they wanted to be indoors.

Is it safe though?   

I am in two minds about it and in an ideal world I would sit and supervise but sometimes I want to watch telly or do something inside so that's not ideal. There's no way they could get out and I'd be checking on them regularly every 30-45 mins. What do you guys reckon?

My garden is quite secure but I only let my pair free range with supervision. Truth is you don't really know how secure the garden is until you have taken you eyes off the ball and come back to devastation or the great escape. And then there are the incomers. My neighbours' house cat plonked over the fence which shocked her more than the buns today but one of the wilder neighbourhood cats has caused some concern recently and I am wary of seagulls and birds of prey. Luckily we don't have town foxes in my area. And flo jumps barriers and digs where she shouldn't so I am constantly checking on her if she is not in my eyeline.

I agree with Cheryl. Foxes aren't a problem here but cats and birds of prey would be a concern.

I just wouldn't risk it I'm afraid x

Agree with thumper and Cheryl. If you are not around they can be fetched quite easily unless you could provide a mesh roof or something like this?

You're all right. I guess they'll just have to stick to supervised free range time which they get plenty of - they mooch about in the morning whilst I'm getting ready, and then when I get home I let them out for a bit and then when I do the chinchillas of an evening they get to go out too (their room looks directly out onto the garden so I can see them at all times). They'll be fine

I wouldn't be able to relax love, I would be worried all the time.

Hugs
JO xx

We are hoping to let Dougal free range our yard but will not take my eyes off him with all the cats around here.

My guys free range from about 4pm until about 8pm. I'm not really worried about cats as they are both large buns and came from a rescue that was crawling with cats so are not frightened.

Foxes do worry me though. We have 7foot fences with anti-climb spikes all round the top but even so I do hover around the back of the house when they are out so I can check on them.

As they have a shed and run set up, I want them to have lots of free range time as much as possible, but I know it's a risk.