im thinking drinking straws. maybe start of with a cocktail stick gradually increasing the size till one or two discrete straws can be installed

as for repotting it....kevlar gloves???

2 responses spring to mind immediately, both vying for attention - the first is good luck with that! and the second is my stepmother's voice saying well, you bought it.Neither is particularly useful though! Obviously, good stout gloves will be essential - I'd be inclined to repot into something where I could at least see the compost to tell how dry or not it is. My book says sunniest spot available, especially in winter, but don't leave on a cold windowsill at night, increase watering in spring and in the late spring to late summer period, treat as anyordinary houseplant by watering thoroughly when the compost begins to dry out, using tepid water. In late summer, reduce watering and after mid autumn keep almost dry, just enough water to prevent the plant shrivelling. Repot annually when young, after that, only when essential (I'd say its essential now, for damage to skin reasons if no other). Probably easiest way to water is to sit it in a tray and let it soak it up, then remove the tray and any water that's left after a 1 or 2 hours, so a pot with a drainage hole will be essential.

And as for 'mother in law's pillow', well poor old mother in laws, they certainly do get a bad press - my book says the common name is Barrel cactus. A bit of grit between the compost and the cactus should help to keep it from getting wet, but as you're an alpine grower, Bulba, I'm sure you've worked that one out for yourself already.

Himself has now discovered that cacti of a similar size can sell for up to £55 I see another trip to Lidl on the horizon. I actually do have an idea of how to get it out of its existing pot... involves a pillow case or sheet.

Blimey, I can't work out how you'd use those - I'd wear my rose gloves and rainjacket, same as I do for the monkey puzzle tree and Yucca in a customer's garden...

Maybe you could invert it onto your "soil sieve/grader".
I'm sure that I don't need to tell you to use the old (empty) pot when filling the new pot with compost.

Technique used by an alpine grower to get his prize show bench winners out of their pots with little damage... You bet I'll be wearing gloves and an old cagoule but don't want to damage the cactus.

Sorry Meanie you do need to tell me why :-)

I have read that if you put a collar of newspaper around said prickly object you can hold it quite comfortably. As for mother-in-laws pillow I would have gladly given one to mine! She is now in that big garden in the sky!!

Oh dear, I hope my prospective daughter in laws don't feel like that about me - I certainly didn't about my mother in law.

Once the cactus is out of the old pot, place the pot in the new one as you fill it with compost. Then remove the empty pot and drop the cactus in........

Don't worry about the compost being moist. These cacti are designed to withstand long periods of total drought. Best advice re watering is when in doubt, don't. No more than once a month in winter (unless its in a cold place, in which case don't water it at all until it gets warmer) and once a week in summer. The best way is to stand it on a saucer of water until it has absorbed as much as it can, but don't leave it standing in water for more than five or ten minutes, and let it drain well afterwards. Take care not to get drops of water on the plant if it will be standing in the sun as it will get burned brown patches on it as the water acts like a magnifying glass.

To repot use cactus compost as it is much grittier than the normal ones. Wear thick gardening gloves and upend the pot over your hand and lay it down on the bench. If it doesn't fall out try pushing a cane or something up the drainage hole to get it started. If nothing works try to cut the pot off with a Stanley knife.
Put it into a new pot with crocks in the bottom, big enough to leave getting on for an inch space to the edge of the pot. Cover the surface of the compost with coarse grit to make sure the actual cactus stays dry. Rot is a big enemy.
This one is a real treasure and you got a great bargain. Be warned that in time they can get as big as a beach ball!

Around here, we use a rope, or an old towel to handle Barrel Cactus like that. It's small enough, you could also use barbeque tongs.

Good advice above from all but I know this in general as a Barrel cactus and more specifically a Mother in Laws chair Cactus !!! :)

If I had a greenhouse, I would love a collection of Echinocactus and their close relatives Ferocactus.

Great specimen too as mg says. They can fetch really good prices over time (and size).

Okay the three cacti we bought on Friday plus two more we bought today are all repotted. The Echinocactus and the Melocactus were in coil and perlite and bone dry. The three smaller ones had been potted in pure peat. They are now in a lean mix with lots of grit. My gloves protected my hands and an old polo shirt protected the cacti. I've obviously got a new obsession!

A good job well done...

yes very happy they are now in clay pots with drainage holes in the bottom. Given that our particular Lidl kills off their plants with great rapidity as they never water them cacti are a good one or them to be selling.

LOL! My local Wilkinson's is exactly the same, 3 days in the store and the plants look devastated...

Why they think plants can sit it a warm store for days without water and not turn up their toes is beyond me.

They are hopeless these stores, but you do sometimes get a bargain because they're so ignorant - last year they had loads of Cosmos, all about a foot high and in flower - one had been shoved on the reduced section, labelled 'Damaged' and priced at 10p as against the £1.99 for the undamaged ones. All it had was 2 broken stems about halfway up, leaving masses of other stems with buds on - needless to say, I snapped it up, but it was absolutely bone dry. Kept waiting in a long queue at the checkout, I finally, in exasperation, not meaning to be funny really, said very loudly 'oh for goodness' sake hurry up, this plant's so dry its in danger of expiring before I even pay for it'. I meant it, but was quite surprised when the whole place fell about laughing...

lol Bamboo I know what you mean. I used to say to the staff 'You know those plants need watering don't you?' Now I simply don't bother...

Lol Bamboo.

I agree Mg, I don't bother now either. They don't care.