The common metad has a finely grizzled gray back and a tail that is dark above and pale below. Nepal's account describes life in lowland fields and grasslands.
Its back is finely grizzled gray, while the throat, underside, and feet are pale gray. The tail is dark above, white below, and ringed.
In Nepal's lowlands it occurs in fields and grasslands, digging burrows at the roots of bushes and hedges. The account also lists crops such as wheat and sugarcane as foods.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.