Environment & Natural Resources

Rattlesnakes slithered around the Texas Capitol this week, making friends along the way

KUT 90.5 | By Michael Minasi

Published February 13, 2025 at 3:34 PM CST

Onlookers from the first and second stories of the outdoor rotunda at the Texas Capitol watch as Sweetwater Jaycees corral a group of rattlesnakes on Wednesday.

Amid intermittent rain, clouds and spots of sun, the Sweetwater Jaycees visited the Texas Capitol this week with three boxes of western diamondback rattlesnakes in tow.

For nearly 30 years, members of the Sweetwater Jaycees, a chapter of the Texas Junior Chamber, have been traveling to Austin to promote their World's Largest Rattlesnake Roundup event in Sweetwater, Texas.

In the Capitol’s outdoor rotunda, the group's members drape rattlesnakes over the shoulders of visitors for photos while sharing information about the snakes — from safety tips to answers about how they taste.

“Rattlesnakes are not aggressive. They don’t want to have to bite you, they’re only doing it because you’re there, and in the way,” said Del Riley, Sweetwater Jaycees' public relations chair.

The World’s Largest Rattlesnake Roundup has been drawing crowds from around the world since 1958. This year's event will be held March 14 to 16. Riley said an average of 4,000 pounds of rattlesnakes are processed and sold each year through the roundup for food, snakeskin products, and anti-venom. There are also demonstrations of snake handling, snake milking, a cook shack that fries the snakes and guided snake hunts.

Natalie Garcia reacts as a western diamondback rattlesnake is draped over her shoulders by Sweetwater Jaycee Blake Stephens at the Texas State Capitol Building. The Jaycee's were visiting the Capitol to kickoff their annual Rattlesnake Round-Up which takes place during the second weekend in March.

A Sweetwater Jaycee displays a western diamondback rattlesnake’s fangs during a demo at the Texas State Capitol Building.

Sweetwater Jaycee Del Riley holds up an eastern diamondback rattlesnake for so a visitor can get a better look.

Western diamondback rattlesnakes, along with one eastern diamondback rattlesnake, are pictured in the center of the outdoor rotunda of the Texas State Capitol Building.

A western diamondback rattlesnake sticks out it's fang during a demo by the Sweetwater Jaycees at the Capitol.

Raul Liendo peers sideways at a western diamondback rattlesnake held by a Sweetwater Jaycee in the Texas State Capitol Building.

Visitors pet a western diamondback rattlesnake during a demo by the Sweetwater Jaycees at the Capitol.

The Sweetwater Jaycees introduce a crowd of visitors to rattlesnakes in the outdoor rotunda of the Texas State Capitol Building.