Its all up to you and your snake... Youll learn their body language over time and know what they like and dislike... everyone on here handles theirs differently... some more than others... I personally handle my older ones for like 10-15 mins then I let them down on the floor to venture... Please note I do not do this with my babies... theyd bounce and id never find em... My room is completely locked off and its impossible for them to go anywhere they shouldnt... They may find a good hiding spot now and then but theyre in my room somewhere...Plus when they have free roam time they arnt interested in finding a cozy spot and chilling... they always keep moving so if I cant find one... ill wait 5-10mins and theyll come out wherever they were and i snag em... I usually leave em out anywhere between 1-3hrs depending what I'm doing. I think I'm prolly the only one who does this but I can vouch for it having a positive impact on thier personalities... Everynight theyre waiting by their cage doors for me to take em out... Its actually tough to go into the snake room and not take em out... In the end its all up to you and your snake.