They have soft, long fur, colored grey-brown to reddish on top, with a generally brighter underbelly.

Their eyes possess a tapetum lucidum, a light-reflecting layer that improves their night vision.

Some species, such as the lesser dwarf lemur, store fat at the hind legs and the base of the tail, and hibernate.

They have the dental formula: 2.1.3.32.1.3.3 Cheirogaleids are omnivores, eating fruits, flowers and leaves (and sometimes nectar), as well as insects, spiders, and small vertebrates.

In human care, they can live for up to 15 years, although their life expectancy in the wild is probably significantly shorter.