With my ball I leave a rat in there for twenty mins tops he's in my living room so I can easily see him and make sure nothing is wrong. My carpet is a different story tho she's in my room that's becoming the snake/rat room so with her I remove her hide (if she's in it) then once that's gone if she's not already there shell go onto her perches then I drop in her rat once she's up there and from what I've seen she'll just strike and hunt from above so I check on her on and off for up to 45 mins if she's on the perch over the rat and the rat hasn't gotten on the perches. Now the carpet I've had for three or four months and she's only ate three times and I have a new breeding rat named lucky cuz of her. Soon as I get my rat stuff off and running good everyone including future pick ups will be on ft tho I find it easier to stock up on food that way.