Inland however, its range extends north to tropical areas, nearly to the northern boundary of the Transvaal, including parts of Eswatini.

An apparently isolated population occurs still further north in tropical eastern Zimbabwe and adjacent Mozambique.

[1] It is a terrestrial species that lives above ground in an open, bowl-shaped nest made of shredded grass near marshy areas with a lot of vegetation.

[6] Much of the digestive process takes place in the cecum with the aid of microbes, and the fecal pellets are often re-ingested.

[7] Females may give birth up to four times a year, producing 1-4 offspring, with a gestation period of five to six weeks.

[3][9] They are covered with fur and their incisors erupted, which allows them to cling to their mother's nipples as she travels for their first two weeks after birth.

[3] The Southern African Vlei Rat is a k-strategist, quadrupedal, and can rapidly run along runways.

[9] They often use their forepaws to eat and discard food in piles by runways, as well as grooming and washing their face.

[3] When same-ranking individuals encounter each other, they start fighting and chasing each other, ending in serious wounds until one animals flees or shows submissive behavior.

[3] Submissive behaviors include the rats in an upright posture exposing their stomach and chattering.