A Baby Koala Joey Lives in her Mother's Pouch for 8 to 9 Months

The koala joeys live inside their mother’s pouch for almost 8 to 9 months. During this period of time, the mother’s pouch is the ultimate place for the koala joeys, as they stay warm, protected and well-nourished inside the pouch. Furthermore; they also consider their mother’s pouch as their little home. After 9 to 10 months, the koala joeys get bigger in size and they no longer fit within the pouch of their mother.

The koala joeys live inside their mother’s pouch for almost 8 to 9 months. Onwards; they become bigger in size and they no longer fit within their mother’s pouch.
Koala Joeys live inside mother's pouch for 8 to 9 months
The koala joeys live inside their mother's pouch for almost 8 to 9 months. Photo courtesy of  

Leaving their mother’s pouch is a gradual process for the koala joeys and it can be categorized into two phases i.e., the first phase when a koala joey goes outside the mother’s pouch for some time and then comes back to the pouch and the second phase when the koala joeys become too big to enter the pouch and mount on their mother’s back. There is a lot to learn about this little mysterious life of the koala joeys inside their mother’s pouch and this article will highlight a bit further.

Koala Joey's in Mother's Pouch
8 to 9 months Mother' Pouch Offers
Ultimate Protection & Nourishment Leaving Mother's Pouch is
A Gradual Process for Joeys First Phase of Pouch
Joeys Go Out & Come Back Second Phase of Pouch
Joeys get Bigger & No Longer Fit in Pouch

A Koala Joey inside her mother's pouch.
A Koala Joey Lives inside her mother's pound for almost 10 months. After this the Koala Joey leaves its mother's pouch and lives on its own.  

After the first 6 months, the koala joeys first time sneak their head out of their mothers’ pouch. At this stage, the basic body development process of the koala joeys just gets completed. The koala joeys get enough confidence to look the outside world from the luxury of their mothers’ pouch. However; these joeys at 6 months are still very small to get out of their mothers’ pouch.

At the first 6 months, the koala joeys totally stay inside their mothers’ pouch. At this stage, they just start seeing the world from their mothers’ pouch but still stay inside the pouch.
Koala Joey first come out of mother's pouch after 6 months
The koala joeys first come out of their mother's pouch when they are more than 6 months old. Photo courtesy of  

Therefore; during the first 6 months, the koala joeys preferably stay inside their mother’s pouch while watching and exploring the outside world from their mothers’ pouch. However; this is the beginning stage from where the koala joeys start thinking of getting out of the pouch and experience the world for themselves.

Koala Joeys - First 6 Months
Completely Stay Inside the Pouch Joeys - 6 Months Onwards
Start Exploring the World Joeys at 6 Months
Very Small to Get out of Pouch

A Koala Joey Outside its mother's Pouch.
For a small period of time, the young koala joeys do come out of their mother's pouches to explore the environment around them.  

At around 7 to 8 months old, the koala joeys get fully tempted to go out of their mother’s pouch and start exploring the world on their own for the first time. This is the period, when a koala joey makes its first step outside its mother’s pouch and learns to climb with the help of its claws.

The koala joeys make their first step outside of their mothers’ pouch at the age of 7 to 8 months. They stay nearest to their mothers and cling on their mothers’ back.
Koala joey exploring outside world after when they get more than 6 months old.
From their 6th month and onwards the koala joeys start exploring the outside world.. Photo courtesy of  

Initially; the koala joeys preferably cling on their mother’s back, however; as their confidence grows, they also move around the tree branches on their own but later cling on the back of their mothers again. If they feel far away from their mothers, they often start squeaking and the mother koalas promptly come for their joeys’ help or rescue.

Koala Joeys @ 6+ Months Old
Goes outside & Inside of Pouch Joeys' Mothers also Help them
In Exploring the Outside World

Koalas Pouch Protects Koala Joeys.
Mother Koalas' Pouch is chiefly responsible for protecting Koala Joeys against Aerial Predators, Weather extremities etc. 

Even outside the pouch of their mothers, the koala joeys may not be able to eat their life dependent diet i.e., the Eucalyptus leaves. The reason being; at 7 to 8 months old, the koala joeys haven’t developed any teeth yet and they are still dependent on their mother’s milk.

Even though the koala joeys can go outside their mother’s pouch at 7 to 8 months old age, they are still dependent on their mother for milk.

Therefore; they often go inside their mothers’ pouch to have milk. Initially; they easily go inside their mothers’ pouch and even stay there for a longer time period. However; from 8 months onwards, the koala joeys are too big to fit inside their mother’s pouch. At this period, the koala joeys only go inside their mothers’ pouch for feeding and then come out and cling on their mothers’ back.

Koala Joeys @ 7 to 8 Months
Still Rely on Mother's Milk Koala Joeys @ 8+ Months
Become Bigger for the Pouch Koala Joeys @ 8+ Months
Still Go Inside the Pouch for Milk

Koala joeys are dependent on mothers even though they go outside of pouch when they are 8 months old.
Even at the age of 8 months, when joeys no longer fit inside their mother's pouch, they still go inside their mother's pouch for milk. Photo courtesy of 

At the age of 10 months, the koala joeys no longer stay inside their mother’s pouch and they start feeding on the Eucalyptus leaves. Furthermore; teeth also start growing within their mouths and their mothers guide them in eating the leaves. This is one of the key periods for the koala joeys because they are not relying on their mothers’ milk but the Eucalyptus leaves.

Tooth emerge within the mouths of koala joeys at the age of around 10 months. At this time, the koala joeys start feeding on the Eucalyptus leaves and stop feeding on their mother’s milk.

Furthermore; after a month or so from this period, the mother koalas completely abandon their joeys and do not allow their joeys to come near them. Basically; the message is clear i.e., leave and live your own life. Usually at the age of around 12 months, the koala joeys say goodbye to their mothers and live on their own.

Koala Joeys @ 10 Months
Start Eating Eucalyptus Leaves Koala Joeys @ 10 Months
Don't Go Inside their Mother's Pouch Koala Joeys @ 12 Months
Lives on its Own without their Mother

Koala joeys at 10 months old start eating Eucalyptus leaves and they no longer go inside their mother's pouch.
The koala joeys at 10 months old start eating the Eucalyptus leaves and they no longer rely on their mother's milk for food. Furthermore; they seldom go inside their mother's pouch after 10 months. Photo courtesy of 

In the concluding remarks; we can conclude that the baby koala joeys live inside their mothers’ pouch for the first 8 to 9 months of their lives. Out of these 9 months, during the first 6 months, the koala joeys entirely live inside their mothers’ pouch. From 6 months and onwards, the koala joeys start looking the outside world from their mothers’ pouch.

The koala joeys stay inside their mothers’ pouch for almost 8 to 9 months. For the first 6 months they entirely stay inside the pouch while the remaining four months they start getting familiar with the outside environment.

Onwards at 8 months period of time, the joeys often go outside and come back into the pouch. And lastly at the age of 10 months, the joeys no longer fit within the pouch of their mothers and they also develop teeth in their mouths. Their teeth allow them to stop relying on their mothers’ milk and start feeding on the Eucalyptus leaves.

Pouch Dependency of Joeys
Till 9 Months Old First time Outside the Pouch
At 6 Months Going Outside & Coming Inside Pouch
At 7 to 8 Months After 9 Months
Totally Outside the Pouch At 12 Months
Joeys Live Solitary Life

Koala Joey clings on its mother's back at 8 months old.
When koala joeys are 8 months old, they often tend to cling on their mother's back. Photo courtesy of