This stocky rodent has a round head and large claws on the forefeet. The claw of the middle digit of the hand is the longest, being over 5 mm in length. The eyes and ears are reduced. The upper incisors are grooved, and the molar teeth are rooted. The tail is swollen at the tip.
Females have eight mammae.
It builds complex burrows and throws the excavated dirt on top of the ground in the form of heaps. The claws, rather than the teeth, are used in digging. A grass-lined nest appears to be the center of the burrow system, as many tunnels radiate from there, gradually approaching the surface. This rodent is active throughout the year. Prometheomys also is said to feed on subterranean roots.