They are found in rocky outcrops and semi-mountainous areas in desert regions.

They were once thought to be hamsters based on the shape of their molars, but they lack the cheek pouches, flank glands and short tails of the true hamsters.

The closest relatives of the mouse-like hamsters may be the extinct Cricetodontidae.

Because of their seemingly early break from the rest of the mouse-like rodents, mouse-like hamsters have been placed in a family of their own, Calomyscidae, and have been referred to as living fossils.

All members of the genus were once considered part of the same species, Calomyscus bailwardi, but they are now considered separate species due to major differences in chromosome number, skull measurements, and other features.