Rattlesnake Rattler Necklace

Rattlesnakes have received their name from the rattle located on the end of their tails.  The rattle is composed of series of hollow segments made of keratin which are interlocked. The contraction of special muscles in the tail cause the segments to vibrate against each other, making the rattling noise which is quite loud due to the fact the segments are hollow and act as amplifiers. These tail muscles are some of the fastest known, can fire up to 50 times per second. All rattlesnakes at birth have a “pre-button” at the tip of their tail, which is replaced by a button several days later when they shed their skin.  However, a second segment has to be added before the snake can make a rattling noise. A new rattle segment is added each time the rattlesnake sheds it’s skin. You cannot judge the age of a rattlesnake by the counting the segments of the rattle. They break off segments sometimes in their daily activities,