Common at times in sagebrush, low sagebrush, and alkali scrub. Less common in bitterbrush, and least common in pinyon-juniper habitat. May invade croplands of alfalfa and grain in winter and spring. In Washington, bluegrass, forbs, and phlox were eaten, while bluebunch wheatgrass, fescue, and lomatium were avoided. Uses the cover of shrubs to avoid predators and heat.
Digs escape burrows at the base of shrubs.
May not require free water for drinking. Prefers sandy, friable soils in shrub habitats, and rocky areas in pinyon-juniper woodlands. May invade alfalfa or grain fields, causing crop damage. Active in the spring and early summer, from January to June or July. Summer aestivation begins when plants are no longer green.