It is a diurnal, fossorial, colonial often seen associated with other gerbils. In China, the species occupies desert to semi-desert habitat, and is most successful in dry river beds dominated with shrubby vegetation (Smith and Xie 2008). In South Asia, it has been recorded from apple orchards and clay-sandy embankments. It has been found to occupy steppe mountains and upland deserts and sand dunes with scattered vegetation, in South Asia (Molur et al. 2005). Distribution is always associated with the presence of saxaul plants (M. Stubbe pers. comm.). It constructs large entrance holes to a very elaborate burrow system that consists of long deep tunnels, nest and food storage chambers (Smith and Xie 2008).