Mainland populations tend to be clustered around dense streamside vegetation but can also be found in shrubland and heath areas, particularly around swamps. Quokkas prefer a warm climate but are adapted to the seasonal variations on Rottnest Island. Here Quokkas occupy a wide range of semi-arid areas.
This tendency points to the Quokka being a habitat specialist with a preference for areas that have been burned in the last ten years.They are however, present on Bald Island even though there has been a low frequency of fires there. Their success on Bald Island is probably due to their finding suitable food sources and the lack of predators.
The quokka lives in a small shallow hole or some type of shady place where it nests during the day to escape the heat, and leaves the nest at night to eat.They are nocturnal so they prefer to get their fill of food at night. The quokka likes to live near dense vegetation by shrub land especially near swamps. They will return to the same spot where it lives every day, and they seldom changing locations.
Quokkas are considered to be a habitat specialist; this means they have a limited diet and thrive in a certain range of environmental conditions. Families of quokka have adapted to live in semi-arid areas, they prefer warmer temperatures and they have adapted to the seasonal change of Australia from the very hot summer to the mild winters. Summers in Australia have been known to get up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, while the winters can get to below zero at night.
Restricted to the south west region of Western Austraila, Quokkas are found on the mainland as well as on Rottnest Island (near Perth) and Bald Island (near Albany)
Quokkas are plant eaters or herbivores.In fact they can be described as browsing herbivores who favour various grasses and leaves, the most popular being plants from the Thomasia species. The seasonal variation on the availability of food sources is linked to the fresh growth associated with fires. Quokkas show a distinct preference for new young growth.
On Rottnest Island their diet is primarily succulents and to a lesser extent the leaves of wattles.