The preferred diet consists of ant pupae, sawfly larvae, beetles, scarabaeids, longicorn beetle larvae, and the larvae of cossid moths. One captive was extremely active, continuously moving about its enclosure in search of food. Its nose was always held downward. The male has no visible scrotum, but the testes are situated between the skin and the abdominal cavity. The backwardly opening pouch of the female encloses two teats.
Pregnant females construct deep, permanent burrows in which to bear young.
It may burrow a relatively short distance and then emerge and shuffle along the surface, propelling itself mainly by the hind feet. It leaves distinct triple track, marked by the two hind feet and the tail. When burrowing, it moves along at about 8 cm below the surface, and then, for no apparent reason, dips vertically to depths exceeding 2.5 meters. The nose acts as a bore, the foreclaws function as scoops, and the hind feet throw up the sand. This distinct swimming pattern through the ground does not leave a long-lasting tunnel like the true moles.