Historically, predators have been classified into two categories based upon how they search for and acquire prey. Active or wide foragers move widely through the environment in search of prey, whereas ambush foragers sit and wait for prey to pass within attack range. The divergent energetic demands of these strategies have implications for movement behavior, with ambush foragers expected to exhibit reduced movement and space use relative to co-occurring wide foragers. We carried out an improved test of this energetics hypothesis by integrating radio telemetry, animal-borne accelerometry, and body temperature data logging in ambush-foraging Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) and wide-foraging Rat Snakes (Pantherophis alleghaniensis). Spatial movement estimates did not support our predictions, as there were no differences in movement distance or frequency estimates between C. horridus and P. alleghaniensis. Additionally, C. horridus used significantly larger home ranges than P. alleghaniensis. These unexpected results can be largely explained by limitations of standard spatial metrics, which did not account for vertical movements and space used by P. alleghaniensis during frequent arboreal bouts. Motion variance extracted from dynamic Brownian bridge motion models and accelerometry-derived measures of activity intensity (dynamic body acceleration) were critical for effectively quantifying movement patterns for both species. Motion variance indicated that C. horridus moved more variably than P. alleghaniensis, likely as a result of alternating bouts of sedentary ambush foraging and prolonged movements to new foraging locations. Accelerometry and temperature data logging revealed that P. alleghaniensis exhibited significantly higher activity than C. horridus and higher mean daily body temperature. The continuous recording of activity provided by accelerometers therefore revealed hidden variation in the movement behavior of the focal species that aligned with our predictions related to their differing foraging modes and energetic requirements. These results highlight accelerometer data logging as an important tool for improved field studies of snake movement ecology, especially in cases involving species for which radio telemetry alone might fail to capture important variation in the timing and intensity of movement.