Climate probably influences the thickness of the pelage. Apparently there is only one molt per year, in the early summer. Marmots generally occupy open habitats such as steppes, alpine meadows, pastures, and forest edge. They spend most of their life in burrows, which they excavate in well-drained soil and which have several entrances. These burrows usually are over 1 meter in depth, but hibernation burrows may be 5-7 meters deep.
Marmots are mainly diurnal and terrestrial, but they occasionally climb into shrubs and trees.
During the summer they accumulate fat reserves amounting to about 20 percent of the total body weight, which they live on during the dormant period. They may emerge briefly during spells of mild winter weather. The diet of Marmota consists largely of green vegetation, especially grasses and forbs, but also includes fruits, grains, legumes, and occasionally insects. Extensive studies of Marmota have revealed that social behavior varies both within and between the different species. Like other marmots, M. monax has several vocalizations, the most pronounced of which is a sharp whistle that functions as an alarm call.