I just wait for the mouse lump to move down to Xavier's stomach, give him an extra minute or two and then pick up the whole paper towel and kind of double it or fold it and then tip it over. He slides right into the tank, no stress for him or me. (I get stressed that I might stress him)
Oh my gosh that "mouse breath" thing reminds me, I once fed Romeo (that's my teacher's male amel) 2 f/t pinks to see if he would eat f/t and he wasn't really paying attention so I touched him on the back a few times with the wet pinkie and he smelled the mouse juice on himself and opened his mouth to start trying to eat what he thought was a mouse when it was himself. Then he realized his mistake and finally went for the real mouse.
I just remembered that and thought I'd share...
About the 48 hour rule..I've broken it a bunch of times and he hasn't regurged yet. I mean it's not like intentional but for one reason or another I've had to disturb him while he was digesting and I haven't had any problems. Don't know what the point of me sharing this is but I don't know...figured I'd just say that.