Kai loves to give kisses and eat rats. His owner, Kaelon Reed, said she thinks the ball python resembles a Harry Potter movie villain.

“Lord Voldemort from Harry Potter,” she said, “but much prettier.”

On Saturday, Kai joined 10 other contestants in the Hiss America Pageant, held during the annual Reptile Fest at Columbus’ Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center.

More than 75 spectators watched as reptile owners showed off their pets, including snakes, a turtle, a gecko and berber skink. Any legal, nonvenomous reptile could enter.

The Samples children — Patrick, 11, Rebecca, 9, and Timothy, 5 — entered their ball python Junior. They stood on stage as hostess Haley Rice told the crowd about Junior: His best trick is hiding, and his favorite moment in “hiss-tory” was when Timothy bit Junior.

“Tim, were you hungry?” Rice asked. The crowd laughed as the youngest Samples nodded.

Entrants were judged on their onstage presence, personality, “wow” factor and overall beauty.

In the end, a yellow anaconda named Olive Oyl took first place. Displayed by Patricia Lassiter, Olive Oyl belongs to Jerry Couch, who also owns the second-place winner and largest contestant, a 30-pound anaconda named Olivia. Aubrey Clark’s hognose snake Wilbur — whose favorite food is pink mice — took third.

“I’ve always had a passion for snakes since I was a little kid,” said Couch, a steel company project manager from Stockbridge, Ga. He owns 40 snakes and volunteers with Southeastern Reptile Rescue, a wildlife removal company.

Couch gave his prize — a gift certificate to Dick’s Sporting Goods — to a young spectator. Lassiter, who works as an administrative secretary at Oxbow, said she planned to give her prize away, too.

“The medal is enough,” she said.