This bat inhabits in a variety of habitats, including evergreen and deciduous forest, open areas, and villages. It appears to favor slightly disturbed, deciduous forest (Reid 2009). Roosts in buildings and hollow trees, and colonies may be large. This is one of the first bats to appear at sunset, often flying low to the ground along wide trails on roads. There are two peaks of activity, for an hour after sunset and within an hour of dawn. It feeds on small flying insects, and individuals appear to have established hunting routes. Echolocation calls are short, with maximum energy at 50 to 60 kHz. In Belize, synchronized births occur once a year in the rainy season, and litter size is usually two (LaVal 1973). Within limits imposed by its elevational distribution, this species is known from almost every major vegetation association in tropical North America (LaVal 1973). The single specimen reported by Carter and Jones (1978) in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico, was captured over a stream. At Diriamba, Nicaragua, R. tumida was captured over small streams, along a trail in a small ravine, and along trees bordering a hacienda (Jones et al. 1971). Roosting habits of R. tumida are unknown. The only recorded instance of predation on R. tumida is by a male Vampyrum spectrum in northern Guatemala (McCarthy 1987).

This species is known from Tamaulipas (Mexico) to north Nicaragua and northwestern Costa Rica (Vonhof 2000, Simmons 2005). It occurs from lowlands to 1,500 m (Reid 2009).

Rhogeessa tumida occurs in protected areas.