Shelters include rocky crevices, caves, ruins, houses, trees, curled leaves, and hollow logs. These bats are agile in their retreats, scrambling about with considerable dexterity and often clinging to vertical walls or crawling into crevices. At rest they often fold the tips of the wings back on their upper surface. These groups seem to operate as units in most of their activities. Other forms are generally solitary.
Some species occasionally shelter with other species.
When they do, the species usually remain separate. Some species of Taphozous breed throughout the year, but most members of this family probably have a fairly well-defined breeding season. Sheath-tailed bats find objects in the dark by echolocation, but they may also guide themselves by vision. Some species are rapid fliers. They feed on insects and occasionally on fruit.