Yes that is the strategy that you need to rest up before the final push, otherwise the escape attempt will likely end in failure.
Snake is unique this way where you need to escape with extra energy or get caught again, no other predators do this (yet). Because it's unique, I intend to keep it that way instead of reducing the content in the game. However, I can revisit Snake and consider other alternatives. I may either increase the success rate or adjust energy costs. Normally the minimum energy to escape is 1, but that can be lowered a bit more just for Snake. Thanks for your input!