Young fully emerge from the pouch around 28 days of age, begin eating solid food at around 55, and are independent of the mother at 70.

[8] The common planigale makes its living on the ground where thick cover is present to protect it from predators.

Its flattened skull allows it to slip through narrow crevasses, holes, and stands of grass to escape quickly or hunt for its prey.

[9] Due to its small size, the common planigale tends to prefer smaller insects, typically those that are less than 15 mm (0.59 in) in length.

[10] In captivity, the species is known to eat mealworms, commercial dog food, eggs, honey, and minced meat.

[5][8] The common planigale is found from the upper Hunter River valley not far north of Sydney along the coast and hinterland to Cape York, and across the Top End of Australia to the Kimberley and a little beyond.

It occupies a wider range of habitat than other planigales, living in sclerophyll forest, rainforest, marshlands, grasslands and even the outer suburbs of Brisbane where it is occasionally trapped mistakenly as a house mouse.