It is associated with rocky areas within cloud forest (O.J. Pearson field notes, MVZ archives). It is not known from outside of cloud forest, and may be specialized to rocky areas in this habitat. This rodent is vegetarian and lives in burrows. In common with other hystricognath rodents, it gives birth to precocial young after presumably a lengthy gestation period (Redford and Eisenberg 1992).

This species is known only from the vicinity of the type locality: Comarapa, Province Manuel M. Caballero, in the department of Santa Cruz, Bolivia (Patton and Emmons 2015). It may range more widely, although it may also be restricted to the currently known range, which covers an area less than 100 km². It has been found at an elevation of 1,800 m asl, although the terrain around the town of Comarapa reaches 2,500 m. The second and only known specimen of this species was collected 8 km west of Comarapa, by road, at an elevation of 2,270 m (O.P Pearson field notes, MVZ archives).

This rodent is not known to occur in any protected areas. There is an urgent need to protect the distinct area of Comarapa. Further research is needed in this area to try to find additional populations.