Habitats include annual grassland and coastal sage scrub with sparse shrub cover, the former more favourable than the latter, commonly in association with Eriogonum fasciculatum, Artemisia californica, and Erodium cicutarium (USFWS 1997). Typical habitat includes sparsely vegetated areas (perennial cover less than 30%) with loose, friable, well-drained soil (generally at least 0.5 m deep) and flat or gently rolling terrain. This species may recolonize abandoned agricultural land. It is most abundant where stands of native vegetation remain (Matthews and Moseley 1990) but deceases as bunchgrass density increases (see Burke et al. 1991). In western Riverside County, shrub removal resulted in increased kangaroo rat densities (Price et al. 1994). Periods of inactivity are spent in underground burrows. Individuals may construct their own burrows or may nest in old burrows of the California ground squirrel or in abandoned burrows of pocket gophers (see Burke et al. 1991, USFWS 1997). In captivity, females construct elaborate nests (Bleich 1977).

This species probably produces one litter per year or two litters per year under high rainfall conditions and perhaps none under drought conditions. Average litter size is about 2.5. In Riverside County, a peak in recruitment occurred in spring (McClenaghan and Taylor 1993). In some areas, young are born in late spring or early summer, and at least sometimes as late as July. In some years, young-of-the-year may reproduce. Life span appear to be relatively short, generally less than a few years.

Mean home range size for two populations in Riverside County were 570 sq m and 970 sq m (Bleich 1977). Price et al. (1994) found that the median of the maximum distances moved between captures was about 29 m for 557 individuals and home ranges were stable over time. Diet is probably similar to D. heermanni and D. panamintimus which feed primarily on seeds but also eat insects and herbaceous vegetation in the spring. Sagebrush may provide much of the food. More likely to forage in open, lit spaces than is sympatric D. agilis (Burke et al. 1991). Predators include owls and various carnivores.

The range of this species encompasses approximately 2,870 km² in the San Jacinto Valley and adjacent areas of western Riverside County, southwestern San Bernardino County (at least formerly), and northwestern and north-central San Diego County, California in the United States (Bleich 1977, Williams et al. 1993). It is found at elevations of 55 to 1,250 m asl (USFWS 1997). As of the late 1980s, most extant populations were in western Riverside County, but the largest known population was on the Warner Ranch near Lake Henshaw, San Diego County (see Burke et al. 1991).

This rodent occurs in several protected areas (D. Tirira pers. comm).