Understanding Sensory Overload in Orphaned Joeys
In the age of social media, it’s easy to be captivated by the sight of a tiny pinkie—an orphaned joey—nestled in a pouch, blinking into the camera for a photo or video. These images are often shared with love and pride, but behind the lens, a silent struggle may be unfolding.
The Reality Behind the Posts
We’re seeing more and more videos of fragile joeys exposed to bright lights, loud TVs, barking dogs, and even dogs licking their delicate skin. These moments, while seemingly harmless, can be deeply distressing for a joey whose world has just been turned upside down.
A newborn joey knows only the rhythm of its mother’s heartbeat, the gentle breath on its skin, and the soft strokes of her tongue. In the pouch, it may hear the distant thump of tails, the rustle of wind, and birdsong—but all from the safety of a warm, dark, and secure space.
Then, tragedy strikes. Mum is killed—perhaps by a vehicle, a shooter, or the relentless expansion of suburbia. Her heart stops. The warmth fades. The milk dries up.
A kind human lifts the joey from the pouch and places it into an artificial one. The warmth is synthetic. The heartbeat comes from a machine. The milk is a formula. The teat is rubber. Imagine the fear. The panic. The confusion.
The Danger of Overstimulation
Now in care, the joey is unwrapped and exposed. Cameras flash. Voices rise. TVs blare. Dogs bark. Lights shine. Pet birds are shrieking, cats want to smell and play with them. All in the name of sharing a moment—but at what cost?
This is sensory overload. And for a joey, it’s not just uncomfortable—it’s traumatic.
Their nervous systems are still developing. Overstimulation can lead to:
Elevated stress hormones
Disrupted sleep and feeding patterns
Impaired neurological development
Long-term behavioral issues
Occurrence and severity of infectious wildlife diseases.
A Call for Caution
Let us be clear: the majority of carers do the right thing. They provide quiet, warmth, and safety. But even so, I find myself cringing when I see a video where the TV is blaring in the background. Maybe the carer isn’t aware. Maybe it’s just become such an ingrained part of daily life.
I’ll admit—I hadn’t considered it either, until I heard a speaker at the Sydney Wildlife Conference in 2018 talk about the impact of noise and overstimulation on joeys. It startled me. It changed how I care.
So this is a gentle reminder to all of us:
Turn off the TV.
Dim the lights.
Keep voices low.
Limit handling.
Keep dogs, birds, cats away.
Avoid unnecessary exposure.
Every joey deserves a chance to grow in peace, not panic. Their journey from trauma to recovery begins with gentle, quiet, and mindful care.
Let’s be their sanctuary—not another source of stress.
I reached out to Emeritus Professor Gisela Kaplan, (Prof. in Animal Behaviour ; PhD (Monash U); PhD, (Vet.Sc., UQ); hon.D.Sc. (UNE), hon.fellow AOS, aMAPS, FIOU, FRSN School of Science & Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW-2351 a leading expert in animal behaviour, and she highlights the serious impact of sensory overload on wildlife, particularly young marsupials like joeys. She explains that the barrage of human-made stimuli—such as noise from TVs, radios, and domestic animals—can be profoundly stressful for animals whose natural environments are quiet and finely tuned for survival. Joeys, adapted to detect subtle sounds like the breaking of a twig, are especially vulnerable. Stress from unnatural sensory exposure can lead to poor development, impaired learning, and even disease. Despite the severity of these effects, research in this area remains limited, especially for marsupials, underscoring the urgent need for more multidisciplinary studies and compassionate care practices.
Some Research Papers