Quirky Corn Snake
 

Hi!

I've purchased a corn snake (tentatively Curly Fry), currently being held at the store, that is a... very interesting male albino, about a year old. When being handled, they seem to prefer the least efficient method of getting places, and frequently curl around in loops and knots rather than move in a particular direction.

The store has assured me that there's nothing particularly wrong with this, and that it has not had problems with food or water, as well as it normally moving pretty well on the ground--it's when its head lacks direct support that it curls a lot.

Do any of you know what could be causing this? The only thing I know of that matches is IBD, which would suck, but that also is only officially documented in boids. I just want to make sure I'm not being handed a snake with a debilitating health issue...

Well, just from your description I would walk away from that deal, and not look back. Get your money back, PRONTO!

I guess I should change my question. If this is just a thing that this snake does, that's one thing--I want to know if anyone knows a specific condition that this would be a sign of that causes distress or pain to the snake.

The symptoms are basically stargazing. There's 4 main causes: Severe overheating, toxin exposure, disease, or genetic stargazing - a heritable vestibular syndrome specific to corn snakes.
For the store to say there's nothing *wrong* with it doing this is not just a red flag but an entire choreographed colorguard routine.

I agree, your description sounds exactly like stargazing. I would not support that store.