A roach trap structured for capturing one or more roaches as a piece of bait is being consumed within the trap. A hinged lid is held in an open position by interconnection to or against the bait, which is rigid and preferably a peanut half. The bait is held in position within a preferably tapered bait aperture formed in an interior partition by either a rod pivotally connected to the lid and pressing against the bait with the distal end of the rod or a length of flexible string connected at one end to the lid and tied around and pulling against the bait at the other end thereof. Because the lid will only drop to a closed position after a portion of the bait has been consumed and finally passes through the bait aperture, the device will capture many roaches at a time which have entered to eat the bait. The device is also transparent for easy viewing of captured prey.

A roach or rodent trap structured for capturing one or more roaches or rodents as a piece of bait is being consumed within the trap. Slidably mating, telescopically extendable upper and lower generally cup-shaped members define a closed interior volume into which a roach or rodent may enter through a hole formed through a side wall of the lower member when the upper member is held in an armed position above the bottom of the lower housing. To hold the upper member in the armed position, a slender elongated trip rod downwardly extends from a central point of the top of the upper member, to be supported on a rigid piece of bait held above the bottom within a horizontal bait aperture of a bait table. The bait table is connected to and upwardly extends into the interior volume from the bottom of the lower member. When so supported by the trip rod on the rigid bait, the upper member will only drop by gravity from the armed position to a closed position after sufficient bait is consumed by roach or rodent to allow the remaining bait portion to pass through the bait aperture then closing the entrance holes and capturing all roaches or rodents within the device at that time. The trap is preferably transparent for viewing of captured prey before disposal.

A trap for killing small animals comprising a first trap member and a second trap member slidingly advanceable relative to one another between a set or open alignment and a closed alignment. The trap members are baisingly urged toward said closed alignment by biasing means. The first trap member including means forming a first animal engaging edge and the second trap member including means forming a second animal engaging edge such that when the trap members are positioned in the open alignment the animal engaging edges form a trap opening. The trap includes set and trigger means for maintaining the trap members in the open alignment until engagement or activation of the set and trigger means by an animal to be trapped. The trap opening is positioned relative to the set and trigger means such that when the set and trigger means is activated by an animal the biasing means is allowed to advance the trap members toward the closed alignment such that the animal engaging edges are advanced toward one another so as to constrict the animal positioned therebetween.

A live animal trap (20), having a trap wall (22), a closure mechanism (24), and a trip mechanism (26) is utilized to trap animals. The closure mechanism (24) includes a slicing closure door (56) which closes in a slicing direction (65) substantially perpendicular to an entry direction (67) into an internal chamber (28) defined by the trap wall (22). The trap wall (22) and the door (56) are substantially continuous to limit a trapped animals view thereby reducing agitation when the trap (20) is approached. The trap wall (22) is sized to inhibit a skunk from lifting its tail to spray.