Bella is my 6.5 y/o Russian. I've had her for about a year now and she has always seemed very happy and healthy and usually has a good appetite for weeds (and an occasional grape treat) though this has slowed down just recently due to the colder weather. Her previous owner her kept her indoors 100% of the time and never let her hibernate. This summer I have had Bella outside in a large run most days and in a dry hutch at night. Now it's coming towards winter I would really like to start preparing Bella for hibernation. I have just measured and weighed her and now having never really worried for her health before I am quite concerned. She measures 18cm long, pretty standard for a Russian? However she weighs only 825g! According to the Donoghue Ratio she should be more like 1.1kg! I know this is just an estimate but surely she shouldnt be this out?? And as I was planning hibernation I was hoping she would be over the estimate!
Very, very concerned and would like as much advice as possible regarding both hibernation considering this will be her first time and diet to get her healthily plumped up! It is worth me saying that she hasn't had a sudden weight loss, I weighed her about 5 months ago and I can't remember her weight exactly but it was in the 800s so she has had a pretty consistent weight other the year.
Very, very concerned and would like as much advice as possible regarding both hibernation considering this will be her first time and diet to get her healthily plumped up! It is worth me saying that she hasn't had a sudden weight loss, I weighed her about 5 months ago and I can't remember her weight exactly but it was in the 800s so she has had a pretty consistent weight other the year.