If a pot that size is light then possibly there's virtually no soil and just root mass with a little organic matter. It's normal for these to have a lot of old dead fronds below the crown but yours actually don't seem to have many fronds at all. Could be an idea to repot it and check the roots at the same time.

Repotting is what I was thinking also. It also seems that when I water it is drying out again within a couple of days which again seems to be a soil issue.

Any tips for repotting this guy? I plan on taking care of it this weekend. I have read these trees have sensitive roots. I am assuming I should go a inch or two larger with pot and just put him in packing new soil around and below the roots with out disturbing them any more than i have to.

I am new to house plants so I am not confident in mixing my own soil. Can I just go to Home Depot and get something made for palms?

Also here is photo of the entire tree if it is helpful


Thanks

Pic of entire tree

NOT ENOUGH H20! I would be careful with HD Miracle Gro soils..., most are HEAVY on PEAT MOSS (including their so-called Cacti or Citrus or Palm mixes.

Date Palms need water. A LOT of people assume that because many species of dates grow in desert regions that they need to be treated like cacti. Not true, even those species from desert regions have roots that tap into ground water, and your Pygmy Date species is from a hot and seasonally very WET/monsoonal climate.

agree.. and Pygmy date palms are NOT desert plants (actually, they live in the wild in the moist, rainy jungles of southeast Asia). Roots are sensitive, but if root bound, it will be hard to damage the roots much... just remove the rootball from the pot and sit in a larger and somewhat deeper pot (with some soil already in it)... fill back in with potting soil (I find the Home Depot soils fine, though I do add a bit of pumice and bark to mine). This species is amazing tolerant of whatever you put in the pot most of the time... but I will warn you this species is a bit tough to keep looking perfect as an indoor palm (does WAY better outdoors where gets plenty of light and better humidity)- indoors leaves often brown tip and plants get a bit leggy and weak. Try to move outdoors for as much of the year as possible (so put new pot on wheels so can be moved easily).

Thanks for all the comments. At this point I think I am going to hold off on repotting and just put it out on my deck which faces southwest where it will get more sun. I am also going to water it more to see if it perks up first before I put it through the stress of repotting.