Its feet have transversely striated pads, which is likely to be an adaptation for grip and is indicative of a life spent in the trees.

Quolls feed on a large range of prey, including birds, rats, other marsupials, small reptiles, and insects.

In captivity, the longest recorded survival is three years, but their lifespan in the wild is unknown.

The number of New Guinean quolls is believed to be decreasing as a result of human encroachment into their habitat and the associated loss of cover.

Another threat, though less severe than with the four Australian species of Dasyurus, is poisoning by bufotoxins from the introduced cane toad (Rhinella marina, formerly Bufo marinus).