Rattlesnakes get their name from the rattle at the end of their tails that’s composed of rattling pieces of keratin, Humans a supposedly the biggest enemy towards rattlesnakes Snakes have lots of bones, but fewer types of bones than us. A rattlesnake’s typical lifespan is 10 to 25 years within minutes after the rattlesnake bite, or in other cases may begin after a couple of hours. Rattlesnakes have predators, too. Coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, roadrunners, hawks, owls, and king snakes eat small rattlesnakes.