By seven months of age, the joey pokes its head out and gradually starts to explore, squeaking to call for its mother. By 12 months the youngster is weaned, but will return to the pouch for safety until it is 18 months old. Soon after, the young koala leaves for good to find a home of its own. A koala leads a slow-paced life. About 14.5 hours of its day are spent sleeping, with another 4.8 hours resting.
Koalas are nocturnal or active at night, and it's late evening when they move from tree to tree.
Their front paws have long, sharp claws, well adapted for climbing. Two of the digits function as thumbs and are opposable to the other digits giving them an excellent grip. Koalas feed mainly on the leaves, shoots, soft stems, flowers, and bark of the eucalyptus trees in which they live. It is a diet high in fiber and low in protein. Their digestive system has a cecum that contains microorganisms that help them digest their high fiber diet.