The tail is fairly well haired, with somewhat longer hairs toward the tip. The pelage is thick and soft. The upper parts are light yellowish brown, light brown, dull brown, or pale grayish brown. The underparts in L. conditor are usually grayish, whereas in L. apicalis they are white. When resting, these fluffy-haired animals, with their blunt nose and large ears, look like small rabbits with ratlike tails.
Females have four mammae.
They are nocturnal and build houses of sticks. These shelters presumably enable them to withstand the desiccating heat of the desert days. Size and construction method depend on local conditions. Houses are often built around a small bush or placed against a rock, but in areas where there is little woody growth Leporillus may live in loose heaps of sticks placed over rabbit warrens, which allow instant escape. The latter type of home often has small stones placed on top and among the sticks to anchor the structure against strong winds.