The soles of the feet have fleshy pads called "pallipes" and they can move about with agility over rocky surfaces.

At these times, it emerges from its underground hiding place to feed on what plant material is available, which is mostly grasses and moss, and it also eats lichens.

Southern viscachas are a colonial species and do not venture far from rocks so that they can plunge underground if danger threatens.

The gestation period is about 130 days and a single precocial pup (or sometimes two) is born which has its eyes open and is fully clad in fur at birth.

[2] The southern viscacha is a common species and locally abundant, but it is prone to wide swings in population due to adverse weather conditions.