They can be up to 40 cm long (including the tail), are considered a pest in the cereal crops and gardens of India and Sri Lanka, and emit piglike grunts when attacking.

The name bandicoot is derived from the Telugu language word pandikokku, which translates loosely to "pig-rat".

The burrow system is extensive and elaborate, consisting of numerous chambers (sleeping, storing, etc.

It has a habit of erecting its long guard hairs scattered over the back and emitting harsh grunts when disturbed.

Of all the three species, the lesser bandicoot is an especially aggressive burrower and has been reported to make tunnels in concrete cellars.

It is a carrier of and spreads many diseases such as[citation needed] Warfarin is a first-generation anticoagulant that relies on multiple feeding events to achieve lethality in susceptible rodents.