diff --git a/skills/continuous-learning-v2/scripts/instinct-cli.py b/skills/continuous-learning-v2/scripts/instinct-cli.py
index d6b0820cd..87d3d3880 100755
--- a/skills/continuous-learning-v2/scripts/instinct-cli.py
+++ b/skills/continuous-learning-v2/scripts/instinct-cli.py
@@ -2102,6 +2102,8 @@ def _parse_created_date(file_path: Path) -> Optional[datetime]:
             if key.strip() == 'created':
                 date_str = value.strip().strip('"').strip("'")
                 for fmt in (
+                    "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S.%f%z",
+                    "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S.%f",
                     "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S%z",
                     "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ",
                     "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S",
diff --git a/skills/continuous-learning-v2/scripts/test_parse_instinct.py b/skills/continuous-learning-v2/scripts/test_parse_instinct.py
index f1c65f0c6..ca99a4b43 100644
--- a/skills/continuous-learning-v2/scripts/test_parse_instinct.py
+++ b/skills/continuous-learning-v2/scripts/test_parse_instinct.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import io
 import json
 import os
 import sys
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
 from pathlib import Path
 from types import SimpleNamespace
 
@@ -1394,6 +1395,38 @@ def test_projects_merge_force_moves_and_removes_source(patch_globals, capsys):
 
 # ── cmd_prune ────────────────────────────────
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(("created", "expected"), [
+    ("2020-01-01T12:34:56.123Z", datetime(2020, 1, 1, 12, 34, 56, 123000, timezone.utc)),
+    ("2020-01-01T12:34:56.123456+02:00", datetime(2020, 1, 1, 12, 34, 56, 123456, timezone(timedelta(hours=2)))),
+    ("2020-01-01T12:34:56.123", datetime(2020, 1, 1, 12, 34, 56, 123000, timezone.utc)),
+    ("2020-01-01T12:34:56Z", datetime(2020, 1, 1, 12, 34, 56, tzinfo=timezone.utc)),
+    ("2020-01-01", datetime(2020, 1, 1, tzinfo=timezone.utc)),
+])
+def test_parse_created_date_formats(tmp_path: Path, created: str, expected: datetime) -> None:
+    source = tmp_path / "pending.yaml"
+    source.write_text(f"---\nid: pending\ncreated: {created}\n---\nBody", encoding="utf-8")
+    assert _mod._parse_created_date(source) == expected
+
+
+def test_parse_created_date_falls_back_to_mtime(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    source = tmp_path / "pending.yaml"
+    source.write_text("---\nid: pending\ncreated: invalid\n---\nBody", encoding="utf-8")
+    assert _mod._parse_created_date(source) == datetime.fromtimestamp(source.stat().st_mtime, timezone.utc)
+
+
+def test_parse_created_date_missing_file_returns_none(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    assert _mod._parse_created_date(tmp_path / "missing.yaml") is None
+
+
+def test_pending_fractional_created_date_expires(tmp_path: Path, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    source = tmp_path / "pending.yaml"
+    source.write_text("---\nid: pending\ncreated: 2020-01-01T00:00:00.123Z\n---\nBody", encoding="utf-8")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_mod, "_collect_pending_dirs", lambda: [tmp_path])
+    pending = _mod._collect_pending_instincts()
+    assert len(pending) == 1
+    assert pending[0]["age_days"] >= 30
+
+
 def _pending_item(path, age_days):
     return {
         "path": path,