The chestnut pogonomys is a small rodent of New Guinea. Recorded specimens with observation data were seen moving through low vegetation at night.
The dorsal fur ranges from gray-brown to bright reddish brown, while the ventral fur is white to the roots. The tail is usually plain colored but can have a white tip.
All specimens with observation data in the handbook were collected at night while climbing low vegetation up to about five metres above ground. The handbook reports no information about diet.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.