Heermann's Kangaroo Rats primarily inhabit dry, gravelly valley grasslands and open chaparral. They may also occur in open foothill woodlands and the lower and upper Sonoran life zones. They prefer sparsely vegetated areas with loosely textured soil. When inactive, they occupy an underground burrow, within which young are born in a nest. Kangaroo rats may dig burrows from the shelter of ground squirrel burrows. Reproduction occurs mainly from February through October where breeding peaks in April and declines after July. Gestation lasts 30-32 days. Litter size is two to five young and adults may produce multiple litters annually. Young appear above ground at four to six weeks. Females breed during their first year.

Diet is mainly seeds, they also eats green vegetation, especially in winter and spring. They also feeds seasonally on small amounts of insect material. They obtain food from ground surface or cuts standing seed heads or green vegetation. This species generally emerges soon after dark. Rain and fog, and sometimes moonlight, may inhibit activity. In San Luis Obispo County, little or no activity occurred in January and February; activity increased in early summer, declined in mid-summer, with possible fall resurgence.

This species is found from west-central California, north to Suisun Bay and the American River, southward through the San Joaquin Valley below about 3,000 ft, and extending through the interior valleys and mountains to the coast at Morro Bay and from Point Sal to Point Conception in Santa Barbara County (Grinnell 1922, Hall 1981, Kelt 1988, Williams et al. 1993).

The subspecies morroensis on the south side of Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo County, California, is listed by USFWS as Endangered.