They spend most of their time in underground burrows, and their habits are much like those of Thomomys. There were 6 side chambers where excrement had been deposited and 11 associated mounds of earth on the surface. It was floored with a 25 mm layer of finely chewed plant material. This species may be more active in summer than in winter, but it does not hibernate. The diet consists chiefly of underground roots, rhizomes, and bulbs, but some individuals eat succulent aboveground vegetation that is easily reached from the burrow or is pulled down into the tunnel.
Food is stored in underground chambers for winter use.
These animals obtain enough water from moisture in vegetation and thus seldom drink. These pocket gophers apparently live alone, each individual within its own burrow system. When angered they produce hissing sounds by breathing rapidly, and they occasionally utter a cry if injured. When unfamiliar gophers are placed together, they will fight violently. In the more northerly parts of the range of this species there apparently is only one litter per year, with mating taking place from March to May, or occasionally later.