When an animal hibernates, how do they get the nutrients, vitamins and mineral that they need?

Question: When an animal hibernates, how do they get the nutrients, vitamins and mineral that they need?
- Keywords:
  hibernate,
  hibernation,
  nutrition
Asked by gabic to Charlotte, Jo, Kevin, Louise, Valeria on 18 Jun 2012. This question was also asked by mogmiester123.
- Kevin Mahon answered on 18 Jun 2012:
  
  Just before they hibernate, these animals take on board massive amounts of food and go through a ‘feeding phase’ to gain weight fast. This is a crucial point of the year for these animals as they generally have to reach a minimum weight before they hibernate to survive. If they are too thin going into hibernation, they will not survive.
- Joanna Cruden answered on 19 Jun 2012:
  
  once they go into hibernation their metabolism slows down and their body slows down so that they can survive on the nutrients they have eaten before they go into hibernation and be ready for summer

Question: When an animal hibernates, how do they get the nutrients, vitamins and mineral that they need?