It is found in China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

They are poorly adapted for digestion of cellulose and mainly feed on plant sources such as young leaves, and require large amounts of water.

Males usually occupy larger home ranges compared to females, and interactions between individuals are very rare.

Young jirds first emerge from their burrows between May and June, and they quickly disperse, rarely interacting with their siblings and mother.

Tamarisk jirds reach sexual maturity at 70 days, but young males do not mate in their first year of age.