@Hallow
I've got a big Fairy Castle, too. I propagated some little ones from it by gently grabbing a "branch" at the base and wiggling it back and forth until it broke loose under the soil line -- whether it comes away with a few roots or not, just pot it up, and it should do just fine. I've found that my plant can be handled gently without getting a handful of spikes. If you really wanted to deconstruct your plant, you should probably take it out of its pot so you can see what's what with the branches and roots, but it sounds like you just want another baby plant or two (they are lots cuter as little plants!). Some say that succulent divisions should sit out for a few days before potting up so the broken/cut end can heal over.
(no expertise here, just what I've done with mine)
@_mel great job with your cacti! looks like you've figured out exactly what they "want." Fairy Tale is a really forgiving plant. Mine got neglected and really dried out last spring (its spot on the windowsill was a bit hidden, and we were distracted), but I watered it every week for a while, and now it's plump and green again!
Both of you -- don't be put off this forum by the debate above. Experts like to debate and get really passionate about their favorite plants... it happens in every forum: threads get off track when an issue like identification comes up, and if it's not relevant to you, just skim over it. The forums here are also generally welcoming and very helpful!
