The "reptile boyfriends" are doing great They arrive after the hot rodent man and the golden retriever boyfriend
In recent years, the internet has started describing romantic attraction with a kind of emotional zoology. Relationships, especially on social media, are often explained through animal archetypes: the golden retriever boyfriend, enthusiastic and affectionate; the black cat girlfriend, more distant and mysterious; or the hot rodent man, a category created to describe men with unconventional charm, evoking - quote marks included - the traits of rodents (for the skeptical: actor Jeremy Allen White). In this ecosystem of animal metaphors, every new micro-trend becomes a way to redefine what we find desirable in a partner. Apparently, today it has to do with reptile boyfriends.
Who is a reptile boyfriend
As Byrdie explains, who first coined the term, a reptile boyfriend is a man who not only isn’t afraid of animals like snakes, alligators, or lizards, but navigates around them with ease and expertise. He isn’t necessarily a herpetologist (i.e., a zoologist specializing in reptiles) or a biologist: he could be a wildlife guide, a nature enthusiast, or simply someone who shows a disarming familiarity with creatures many find scary or gross. The archetype combines several traits that the internet finds irresistible: a certain outdoor spirit, real technical skill, and an almost stoic calm in the face of danger.
@robertirwin Rescuing a frilled-neck lizard off the track! You never know what you might find in Queensland’s remote Cape York bushland here on the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve!
original sound - Robert Irwin
From Steve Irwin to Lana Del Rey’s husband: we love men who handle snakes
If this type of charm seems familiar, it’s because pop culture has been cultivating it for decades. The most famous archetype remains Steve Irwin, the legendary Crocodile Hunter, who in the early 2000s turned his passion for potentially lethal animals into an educational entertainment phenomenon. His charisma came from a combination of enthusiasm, expertise, and deep respect for wildlife. Today that legacy continues with his son, Robert Irwin, who has become a global celebrity thanks to TV appearances and wildlife content on social media. But the reptile boyfriend doesn’t only exist in wildlife documentaries. The trope gained fresh life in contemporary pop culture, particularly when, in 2024, Lana Del Rey married Jeremy Dufrene, a Louisiana swamp guide specializing in alligator tours. The news immediately fueled online discussion: Del Rey’s romantic and melancholic aesthetic combined with a man who works daily with reptiles and aquatic predators perfectly materialized the meme.
@alykattttt Replying to @Liz | SAHM it’s mostly me ranting about how cute it is #lanadelrey #jeremydufrene original sound - alykattttt
The case of Robert Raush
The current archetype of the reptile boyfriend has also been shaped by the social media and online success of Rob Raush. Before becoming a recognizable face on American reality TV through shows like Love Island USA and The Traitors, Rausch worked as a snake wrangler in Alabama, removing snakes from homes and private properties. Today, with 1.9 million followers, his wild aesthetic remains: themed tattoos, editorials handling snakes, and videos capturing them with his bare hands. Perhaps he is the perfect embodiment of the reptile boyfriend, whose popularity also tells us something broader about how the internet is redefining masculinity. Unlike some past macho models, this archetype isn’t based on domination or aggression. Instead, his charm comes from expertise, calmness, and a form of empathy for creatures many perceive as threatening.
Reptiles, symbolism, and redemption
The trend probably works precisely because it flips an ancient symbolism. Reptiles, especially snakes, have for centuries been associated with temptation, risk, and betrayal, from biblical tradition to contemporary pop culture. Yet, in the online imagination, the relationship with reptiles takes on a completely new perspective. A man who can coexist with these creatures no longer represents danger, but the ability to manage it. He is not someone who dominates nature, but someone who knows it well enough to move within it without fear. He is at once intriguing and a little dark, yet reassuring. Provided, of course, that his snakes stay at a safe distance from us.
