A Chinese finger trap (also known as Chinese finger cuffs, Chinese handcuffs, and Mexican handcuffs) is a gag toy used to play a practical joke on children and unsuspecting adults. The finger trap is a simple puzzle that traps the victim's fingers in both ends of a small, woven bamboo cylinder.

The initial reaction by the person wearing the finger trap is to remove the fingers outward, but this only tightens the trap, making escape difficult. The solution to escaping the trap is to push the ends inward toward the middle, which enlarges the openings and frees the fingers, before slowly twisting them out of the trap so as not to trigger the tightening reflex.

Another form of escape is to push your fingers together, then grab the ends of the trap with your middle fingers and thumbs. You are then able to pull out both fingers easily.

TV Appearance

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In the "Unfortunate Cookie" episode of Dexter's Laboratory, Dexter and Dee Dee get stuck to each other because of a finger trap they found in a fortune cookie, and to have it removed, are sent on a quest by the maker of the trap (in actuality, just his errands).

Finger traps also make an appearance in the The Next Generation episode "The Last Outpost". Data is the victim of the prank at first, but the Enterprise crew eventually beams a box of the toys over to a belligerent Ferengi vessel as "thanks" for their aggression.

A cut-away scene from Family Guy shows Peter and Cleveland with their penises trapped inside the device.

In the Marsupilami cartoon episode "Steamboat Mars" a strange big-eared bird is held captive with a pair of finger traps on his wings and toes.

See also

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• Joy Buzzer
• Whoopee cushion
• Snake Nut Can
• Chewing Gum Bug
• Fake Barf

Practical joke devices