Typical habitat includes warm humid rainforest where it is found in foliage and ground litter.

[2] The thorny devil color ranges from light brown to black and resembles bark or rotten wood.

The male has enlarged hind leg femurs with a curved spine or thorn on the underneath side, large enough to be used as a fish hook in New Guinea.

[2] Thorny devils are nocturnal feeders and group together during the day to hide under bark and in trees hollows, providing protection from predators.

[4] Eurycantha calcarata are herbivores, consuming forest leaves including eucalyptus, ficus, bramble, raspberry, rose, cherry laurel and guava.