what makes a rattlesnakes tail rattle?

Answer 1

The rattle is composed of a series of nested, hollow beads which are actually modified scales from the tail tip. Each time the snake sheds its skin, a new rattle segment is added. Since they may shed their skins several times a year depending on food supply and growth rates and since the rattle can and does break, there is a little truth to the claim that one can tell a rattlesnake's age from the number of beads in its rattle. Newborn rattlesnakes do not have functional rattles; it isn't until after they have shed their skin for the first time that they gain an additional bead, which beats against the first bead, known as the button, to create the rattling sound. Adult snakes may lose their rattles on occasion, but more appear at each molting. In wet weather if the rattle has absorbed sufficient water, it will not make noise.

Even with a useable rattle, a rattlesnake might not always give warning. Some speculate that rattlesnakes that use their rattles around humans are often killed and natural selection may favor rattlesnakes that do not give advance warning.

Answer 2

each time the snake sheds, a new segment is added and the rattle gets longer and louder. The segments knocking against each other create the sound and allow a rattlesnake to rattle its tail in the air rather than beat it against the ground.

Answer 3

The rattlesnake does.(Sorry)
It is like a pea inside a husk (dry skin)

Answer 4

the rattle is on the end of the tail, made from bony old segments of skin, with each molt the snake gets one more segment.

Answer 5

may be to make enemeys of it afraid
or may be alert to make one know there is snake
or may be it love music;))