I didnt even take the sticky stuff off of my probe. As for where to stick it .. its all up to you. Some people put it on the hot side, some on the cool. It really doesnt make a difference either way, you are still gonna get the temps on both sides ( as long as you put the probe on the opposite side as the base unit).
I wouldnt think that a newborn rabbit would be as nutritious as an adult rat. The newborn rabbit's bones wouldnt be developed as much as the rats and therefore not giving as much calcium. Rats get bigger than your bp will ever need.