Although captive pairs can be aggressive when put in the same cage, in the wild they seem to get along well when overlapping each other's territory. In captivity, pairs remain mated for life. To get around, these birds walk, hop, climb, and also fly. Leiothrix's frequently bathe in shallow pools. In the wild, they are monogamous.
Fruits compromise the majority of their diet with the remainder made up of invertebrates.
Some fruits included in their diet are strawberry guava, thimbleberry, and sometimes overripe papaya. They have been known to eat mealworms and mollusk. These birds often drink from pools of water on fallen leaves. Singing is most constant during the breeding season. Nesting usually occurs in underbrush at all elevations.