Please help! cactus turning yellow

[kwl11]

Hi hi! I have a small cactus (about 4cm tall) that isn't doing so well and I'm having difficultly figuring out what's wrong with it. My sisters gave it to me as a gift. It's been doing well for the past two years, up until this summer when it started turning yellow from the base (since the picture, the very bottom has started turning pinkish). I thought it might be rot because it is somewhat soft, so I took it out of the pot but it isn't as squishy/smelly as expected. My previous cactus died of rot/overwatering, so I've been really careful with this one, only watering it once every two weeks and making sure the pot has a drainage hole.

I also considered corking, but it doesn't seem hard enough and the cactus has shriveled some. I've also wondered if it's just general stress (I'm a university student so I had to take it home for the summer and bring it back to school).

So I'd like to know 1) what the problem might be and 2) if there's a way to save him. Any help would be much appreciated!!

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[ElieEstephane]

That seems quite normal to me. But the soil looks too "peaty". Wash out the old soil, let the root ball dry for a few days and use a gritty mineral mix and your cactus will grow a whole lot more. Watering should not be scheduled. Water when the soil dries out. That could be 2 days or 2 weeks.
Good luck!

[kwl11]

Thanks so much!! Should I expect the yellow areas to turn green again or is it more likely the damage is permanent?

[ElieEstephane]

Thanks so much!! Should I expect the yellow areas to turn green again or is it more likely the damage is permanent?

It's not damage at all. Thats just normal plant behavior. If you want you can slowly and gradually cover the yellow areas with soil.
On the other hand, your cactus seems quite small for 2 years of growth and i suggest you move it to a much brighter locaction and water when the soil dries.

[kwl11]

Thanks! I'm planning to repot it with better soil, so hopefully it recovers.