Molting?

[MaddyB55]

Hello.
I recently got two American Giant millipedes. Today I was checking on them and I accidentally dug up one that I thought was dead at first. Then I saw some legs moving and wasn't sure what was wrong.
I know when they molt their color gets lighter, which does seem to be the case here. She wasn't tightly packed into a ball, which is why I managed to accidentally snag her when looking through the substrate. When I got her, she was missing several legs on one side of her body. Is it likely that she's molting or do I need to be concerned that she might be sick?

 

[Polenth]

Don't dig up your millipedes to check on them. But as it's done now this time... all you can do is wait and see what happens. Don't touch her again. There's nothing you can do to help that requires direct contact.

 

[MaddyB55]

Ok, thank you. Sorry, I have a lot of anxiety about the millipedes dying. I try not to interact with them unless they are active. I'll try to resist the urge to check on them by digging them up. Is there anything I can do to know my smokey oak is ok? She hardly ever comes to the top of the substrate.

 

[goliathusdavid]

Ok, thank you. Sorry, I have a lot of anxiety about the millipedes dying. I try not to interact with them unless they are active. I'll try to resist the urge to check on them by digging them up. Is there anything I can do to know my smokey oak is ok? She hardly ever comes to the top of the substrate.

Totally understand the anxiety, it can be a lot!
On your Narceus gordanus: completely and totally normal. I only see mine on the summer harvest moon when I have fed carrots. Just trust that they are there, they'll burrow till the end of time. (And in my case, trust and hope that they reproduce).

 

[Polenth]

Millipedes are pets you'll often not see for some time, especially when they moult (they can disappear for months). All you can do is wait for them to surface. When they do get sick or old and die... there's very rarely anything you can do about it. Digging them up doesn't help and it can hurt if you disturb a moult.

It might help to get an invertebrate pet that is always visible, so you can focus on them when the millipedes are hidden. Hissing cockroaches are a good visible one and they're hardier than most millipedes. Woodlice colonies are also very visible once they get going and have similar setup requirements to millipedes (don't keep them together though).