I have had a prickly pear for the past 7 years but i believe it to be sickly:/

when I originally got the plant was from Spain, it was dead or seemed it but looked a nice and unusual canvas to paint on, which was the theme of my art project at the time so I picked it up and took it to where i was staying and painted on it a nice scene of the andulucian mountains. I took it back with me through customs declared it and they said I could keep it as it was dead so i happily took it with me:)

not long after I got back home i had it in my art space in college which was reeeeallly hot and noticed small root nodes appearing where the spines were which i hadnt noticed before, so I planted it to see and it came back to life became green again and grew another pad on the side:) I was so chuffed with it and tenderly looked after it and bought it to university with me and lovingly nurtered it, then..... I watered it in my uni shower (was in a large pot easier tht way:P ) and left it trickling while i answered the door, and forgot about it:( and went off for a few hours:( and came back and it was soemwhat waterlogged:/

I took it out the soil and tried to dry it out but alas it became rotten and died:( however i anaged to save the pad that was growing from it and planted it and it grew but:/ not the same:(

after 7 years of tlc my prickly pear doesnt look like how prickly pears shoud look:/ instead of large rounded oval pads, its leaves are verrry long elongated and skinny:( and new leaves/pads grow from it and are the same to the point that it was so long I cut it in half and kept the original pad, and re-planted toe toher half in my families house:/

I really want my prickly pear to look like other prickly pears but its not:( what am i doing wrong? it has heat I water it around every 1-2weeks and in the growing season I give it cactus supplements but nothing seems to work:( its a healthy green colour, its not shrivelled or anything just not prickly pear looking:/ I was wondering if its because ive allowed other pads to grow on it which have mayby taken its nutrients and was pondering if i removed some of the pads from the main plant/leaf would that help?

as then all nutrients would be in the main leaf and not taken by others? or is it dodgy uk weather not agreeing with it?

any advice would be good as I treasure it and would like to see it grow properly:)