The colour of its fur varies seasonally and with age, but generally the upperparts are grey to brown, with tints of cream and black, while the underparts are pale yellow or tan.

[7] Members of a social group share a common foraging area around the communal burrow system, and feed on a variety of grasses and forbs, occasionally browsing on low shrubs.

When they live close to human settlements, tend to hoard brooms, tables, garden tools, firewood, trinkets, pieces of concrete, and many human-made objects to cover the burrow.

The species subspecies include:[9][10] No known conservation measures are currently in place for the plains viscacha, but it does occur in several protected areas.

Although hunting is not currently considered a major threat to this species, it needs to be monitored in case it starts to have a severe impact on the population.