Help with a millipede.....i screwed up

[gunslinger]

Ok, so the bad news is one of my millis was found dead just a few minutes ago Its a D. macracanthus. Anyhow the tank originally contained only two millipedes, one which disappeared into the depths several months ago. Now that the only other one in there died, and I have had a few beers I say to myself...........that other one cant still be alive its been gone for like 3 + months.....its just dead.....lets just clean out the cage and move on.

So I begin to remove the dirt and the cage is pretty much empty like 95% and the VERY last small clump of dirt BOOM there is the sexy lady, shiny and new and huge and molted in a circular chamber..........

So now I feel pretty stupid for not trusting VERY good advice I got on the boards here..........that it could be gone for many months in the molting process.

What should be done? I could attempt to gently rebury her........or just refill the tank around her and gently lift her to the surface? Anyone still awake that can help rememdy my stupidity?

 

[gunslinger]

OK my stupidity just upgraded to UTTER MORON>...........she wasnt molted, she is sitting on a hefty batch of eggs

Emergency Ideas useful...............

 

[Galapoheros]

Ah, a few beers or not, I understand your curiosity. A lot of us have been there. I have yet to own a store-bought milli. But, if it's still curled up in a depression, maybe you could but a flat rock over her or something like it, maybe a water bowl. You could carefully build up the edges of the depression if you think you need to . Also, a flat rock might offer way to, possibly, carefully check to see if the babies are ok too...if you feel comfortable doing that.

 

[gunslinger]

That is basically where I have started. I replaced all removed soil so now she sits in a depression with her eggs. I really hope I didnt doom them. :wall:

 

[gunslinger]

Update and more questions

An update.............so I filled in the dirt again and mom went back underground the same day as the original posts.
Today I decided to lift up the glass aquarium and from underneath I can see the old egg pile, as well as mom on a new egg pile nestled up inches under the substrate.

Does anyone know how long these eggs usually take to begin to hatch out into pedes?