unionwirewoman
Sprout
I posted this on BYC and nobody knew what it was . Anybody have any clues ? I know it looks pretty shabby , And I don't know what to do with it . It was a gift from my soon to be MIL . The pot size is about 10".
What kind of cacti is this ?
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unionwirewoman
Sprout
The diameter is about 10" . The "spines " are more like hair . They don't hurt if you touch them . I'm just concerned that around the pot , the plant is turning brown . It sits in a corner and has two windows on either side . It is very delicate though , so if I were to repot it , I would'nt have any idea on how to do it ! I think that's why MIL left it to me , she has no way of transporting it without causing major damage .
Reinbeau
Deeply Rooted
It's becoming brown? Is the soil too damp? It needs to be freely draining and not kept soaking wet, no matter what cactus it turns out to be (I agree, it looks like a rat-tail cactus, but we need a better picture to be certain).
patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
if it's turning brown just where the, er, whatever you call 'em on these prostrate cacti - tentacles? 
- are actually resting on the pot rim, then it is probably mechanical damage from resting heavily on a thin pot rim and/or from being bumped and moved around a lot. There wouldn't be anything you could do to cure the damage once it's done, although it would be worthwhile trying to propagate the cactus by cutting/breaking off ends of a few of the longer or less-conspicuous, er, tentacles Let the cut ends dry off for a few days, then pot in cactus mix, or in soilless mix cut about 2:1 or 1:1 with coarse perlite granules (not regular potting soil), water lightly, and see what happens rooting-wise.
OTOH if the brown is around the bases of the tentacles (fine, YOU tell me what I should be calling them) near where they come out of the soil in the pot, then it is probably as Anne says a rot problem. Does the container have a big drainage hole? (If not, there's your problem). Or if it does have a drainage hole, is it sitting perchance in a saucer so that excess water collects there and it sits with wet feet? That's not too uncommon a problem with potted cacti, and if you catch it early enough is correctable. If you don't catch it early enough, see above re: propagating 
Good luck,
Pat
- are actually resting on the pot rim, then it is probably mechanical damage from resting heavily on a thin pot rim and/or from being bumped and moved around a lot. There wouldn't be anything you could do to cure the damage once it's done, although it would be worthwhile trying to propagate the cactus by cutting/breaking off ends of a few of the longer or less-conspicuous, er, tentacles Let the cut ends dry off for a few days, then pot in cactus mix, or in soilless mix cut about 2:1 or 1:1 with coarse perlite granules (not regular potting soil), water lightly, and see what happens rooting-wise.OTOH if the brown is around the bases of the tentacles (fine, YOU tell me what I should be calling them
) near where they come out of the soil in the pot, then it is probably as Anne says a rot problem. Does the container have a big drainage hole? (If not, there's your problem). Or if it does have a drainage hole, is it sitting perchance in a saucer so that excess water collects there and it sits with wet feet? That's not too uncommon a problem with potted cacti, and if you catch it early enough is correctable. If you don't catch it early enough, see above re: propagating Good luck,
Pat
jc12551
Chillin' In The Garden
I agree with both pat and Reinbeau. It could be rot or damage. Whatever it turns out to be I LOVE it. I wish I had one. Can you get a closer pic of it? I think a lot of rat tail cacti are a bit thicker, but I have looked and looked and I don't have a cacti ID book in my house or my classroom.
This looks like it but I think it might be a different strain.
Not all cacti have names since there are so many kinds they cannot keepp with the naming, they usually just say succulent or cactus.
http://home.howstuffworks.com/enlarge-image.htm?terms=cactus&gallery=1&page=20
Does yours look like this when it is not droopy, Are you watering it during the winter, because most cacti need to go dormant during the winter. There are some winter cacti that need winter watering and summer dry,
:happy_flower
Not all cacti have names since there are so many kinds they cannot keepp with the naming, they usually just say succulent or cactus.
http://home.howstuffworks.com/enlarge-image.htm?terms=cactus&gallery=1&page=20
Does yours look like this when it is not droopy, Are you watering it during the winter, because most cacti need to go dormant during the winter. There are some winter cacti that need winter watering and summer dry,
:happy_flower
