The fat sand rat is a stocky gerbil-like rodent that burrows near desert shrubs and changes its activity with the heat.
It has a stocky body, short rounded ears, large dark eyes and a tail tipped with a tuft. Its upper fur is brownish with black flecks, and its underside is pale.
It is mainly active by day, but in hot seasons it forages in the early morning and afternoon; in some warm areas it may also be active at night.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.