Tragulus javanicus , or lesser Malay mouse deer, do not have antlers or horns. These canines protrude from the side of the mouth. Females lack these canines. The cheekteeth of lesser mouse deer have a crescent pattern formed by the enamel ridges.
Mouse deer have no upper incisors.
The pelage of mouse deer is brown with an orange tint. The underside is white. Malay mouse deer have a triangular head and a round body with elevated rear quarters. As ruminants, mouse deer use microorganisms that produce enzymes within the stomach to digest their food. In the wild, lesser Malayan mouse deer are commonly herbivores and folivores, eating leaves, buds, shrubs, and fruits that have fallen from trees.