This is an arboreal squirrel, living in primary and secondary forest, from lowlands to montane areas; occurring also in mixed areas with cropland and tree cover. On Sumatra it has been recorded in logged forest (Prawiradilaga et al. 2014). This is a diurnal and arboreal species (Saiful and Nordin 2004). It has been suggested that one of the reasons for low densities of this species in Malaysian tropical rain forest is competition from the great variety of other arboreal vertebrates (such as birds, and especially primates) for food, especially fruits and leaves, which are among the food items preferred by squirrels (Saiful and Nordin 2004). One study found there to be no difference in density of the species between unlogged and recently logged areas (Laidlaw 2000).

This species is found in the southern part of Malaysia, on Sumatra and Java, and on the islands of Tioman and Tambelan (Oshida et al. 2001). It is also found in southern Thailand (Lekagul and McNeely 1988). A survey of Royal Belum Park in Malaysia failed to detect the species (Md Tamrin et al. 2010).

Saiful and Nordin (2004) state the need for further comparative study on this species' abundance, density and distribution and its relationship to forest structure or habitat quality, spatially and temporally, in hill dipterocarp forest of Malaysia.