Learning the hard way

OK, brought the inductive load meter from work today with the plan of finding out how much regen braking there is in amps and where that correlates to the HSI. Also wanted to determine max current draw from full throttle acceleration. Started pulling things out to get to the traction battery and started removing sheet metal from around battery. There is an orange shunt that can be removed rather easily to disconnect the traction battery. I pulled it to disconnect the battery for safety. Got stumped in removing sheet metal cover by a couple of orange "plugs" that connected said sheet metal and looked as if removing them would destroy them. I assume they are "witness" plugs or seals, that is Toyota would know you had been inside of their battery.
Reinstalled everything not wanting to risk warranty just yet. I noticed you could get to orange cables that obviously go to the battery just behind the seat. Reinstalled the shunt, instructed my son on how to operate the inductive power meter. Jumped in and pressed the power button and was greeted with a big check hybrid system warning. Looked in the manual, found the emergency start procedure, no luck. Figured I'd try disconnecting the 12V batt in case that just might reset something, no luck. Found a current limiting device in the pos side of the battery wire. For those that believe your Prius draws a high current load from the 12V battery, I don't see that happening. You lose everything but odometer if you disconnect the 12V batt. Trip A, B and all mileage records, clock, radio presets gone. Oh well.
Took the shunt apart that goes in the traction battery. It's got a large 125 amp fuse in it, so I doubt your adding or pulling more than 100 amps from the traction battery with a 125 amp fuse inline. I noticed a small connection on the bottom of the handle of the shunt, a small plug that lines up with two wires on the traction battery. Replaced the shunt, but there is a gap between the plug in the shunt and the wires on the battery?
Once you plug the shunt in, you must slide the handle to he right in order for the wires to make a connection in the handle of the plug. Apparently the computer uses this circuit to ensure the shunt is properly installed because once the handle is slid to the right , the car operates normally.
Then to add insult to injury, I couldn't get the meter to operate correctly, I assume too many other wires in the harness at that point. I need to get inside of the battery.
Anybody know how to remove those orange plastic "plugs" or where I can get more?