Golden moles have high-crowned teeth, with the crowns of the lower teeth being twice as high as those of the upper teeth. The skull is conical in shape, broad at the braincase, and not constricted at the orbits. The olfactory region and the premaxillary bones form a narrow, elongate snout, expanding at the end into two processes on which the nose pad is attached. Golden moles inhabit sandy areas, plains, forests, and cultivated areas. Local soil conditions probably determine the depth of the tunnels.
Golden moles are active day or night.
They are believed to be inactive for varying periods during the colder months. The majority of forms seem to find food underground and come to the surface only after a rain brings worms and other invertebrates to the surface. Chrysospalax, however, may seek food on the surface at night. The golden moles of this genus have an extraordinary sense of orientation, for they can return directly to the burrow entrance with rapid speed. Golden moles seldom bite when handled.