It is noted for its very long tunnels, up to 2.8 km (1.7 mi) for a single colony of only ten individuals.

[3] Ansell's mole-rats (Fukomys anselli) develop their underground habitat using their anatomical features such as body shape, chiseled teeth, and large jaws to dig through the soil.

These long tunnels often branch off at various levels in the soil which allow mole-rats to create the space needed for their survival, such as searching for plants, creating food storage areas, and communicating with other nearby family groups.

However, their somatosensory cortex is notably augmented, which then occupy the areas that are typically visual in epigeic rodents.

Additionally, on bathyergidae mole-rats, their visual cortex is smaller but is significantly stronger than other similar rodents.