If mine are any indication, they’ll go hunting for bugs before they start scratching at stuff or eating plants. Even when I give mine pulled weeds the first thing they do is look for bugs on them. Those are the real prize.

They have an amazing eye for slight movement, and are quite good little hunters (they really like catching mice as well). If you don't give them time to destroy everything, and keep your eyes on them.

As a bonus they poop while they eradicate, and they do some mild scratching of the surface which is good for the soil.

I don't leave them unattended. I let them do whatever they want with anything already destroyed, and they seem to have fun if I chase them around to distract them from other stuff seeing as they come to poke me then run away when I stop following them.