Rattlrs are fairly easy to take care of. They're made of rawhide which is a durable material that has been used for thousands of years to make a variety of long-lasting goods.
The biggest challenge to rawhide is water. What that means is it will make the rawhide soft and pliable again so it could bend or be misshapen. I suggest once a year (unless you live in a really super dry climate then maybe more) you just take a tiny bit of shea butter and rub it in your hands and then rub it across the surface of the rattle that will improve and condition the quality of the rawhide and make it semi-waterproof.
We love of our furry friends. Dogs tend to like to eat rawhide so it's best to store your rattle if you do have a dog out of their reach.

The rawhide material that is used to make your rattle comes from various animals and I aquire my hides from ethical sources. They are not milled or processed in the factory so that allows for a lot of unique features to each of the hides I received. I try to use these features artistically in my drums and rattles to enhance the overall beauty of the product. Hides can run a full range of colors from a pale cream to a deep dark brown almost black. And because of the nature of how I acquire my hides it's not always predictable what color, shade or the type of hides I will have in over the course of a year.

The beauty of this is that each of my rattles embodies the unique qualities and each one has it's own personality.

Since about 2009 I've been traveling extensively all over North America and places beyond. I gather stones from the surfaces, bodies of water and the places I've traveled to. I only offer stones that I have acquired myself through my own process of listening to the land and receiving the gifts that these places have to offer.
They're not an infinite resource I don't have very many. What I offer isn't polished or manipulated in any way except you have been washed and cleaned with water.
The gem and mineral industry has done a whole lot to really hurt the Earth so this is my way of offering something that I think is ethically more in alignment with spiritual practices

I get my beads from a variety of sources. I try to get my beads directly from the people who make them. I also upcycle, recycle and go to secondhand shops, estate sales and other venues to acquire my beading materials.
I do not source from the larger beading companies such as Fire Mountain Gems. They source most of their stuff from China and other places where the quality of the materials is often in question as well as the manufacturing process.

Sometimes I venture into the world of making my own beads but that often puts the cost of the finish piece out of range for most people.

I am aware a lot of the herbs we use in incense, magical & sacred arts come from unreputable sources. Unethically harvested to the point of harming the environment in which these plants grow. Creating complete endangerment to these plants I am an advocate for locally sourcing ones plants and herbs for sacred smudge, herbal medicine/ blends etc.... I harvest almost everything up here locally in New Hampshire or in the New England area. I gather enough for my own work in a calendar season and sometimes a little extra so I can make some to put in my shop.
It's important that when one is doing sacred work to be mindful. We can't be promoting sacred work if we are exploiting the very Earth that we are praying for and trying to take care of.