Abstract: An animal trap having a housing with an access opening surrounding a trap mechanism. The trap mechanism includes a pair of arms pivotally mounted on a base of the housing, each arm having a free end forming a jaw. The arms are positioned relative to one another so that they are pivotable between a jaws open position in which the arms are pivoted away from one another and the jaws spaced apart and a jaws closed position in which the arms are pivoted toward one another and the jaws urged into engagement. A drive frame which engages the arms of the trap mechanism is slidably mounted on a pair of vertical posts within the housing. A pair of springs on the post urge the drive frame upwardly from a lower position in which the arms are free to pivot into the jaws open position to an upper position in which the arms are urged by the drive frame into the jaws closed position.