When startled, members of the Zapodinae can jump up to 2 meters. The long tail is used as a balancing organ during leaps. These rodents shelter under logs or in underground burrows either dug by themselves or abandoned by other animals. Their rather inconspicuous burrows are not marked by a mound of earth. Runways are not generally made.
Activity is mainly nocturnal.
Zapodids gain weight in the fall and then become dormant for six to eight months. Their diet consists of berries, seeds, fungi, and small invertebrates. Food is not stored. They drink free water. The geological range of this family is Oligocene to Recent in Europe, lower Pliocene to Recent in Asia, and early Miocene to Recent in North America.