The greater cane rat is a stocky African rodent with a rounded nose and short ears. It lives near marshes and riverbanks, feeding mainly on grasses and cane.
It has a heavyset body, rounded nose and short ears. Its coarse fur is yellowish brown above and much paler gray underneath.
It is nocturnal and makes nests by flattening tall grass, with trails through grass and reeds between shelter, feeding sites and water. Its natural diet is mainly grasses and cane, with some bark, fallen fruit and nuts.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.