This tortoise lives in dry habitats, where it is active in the morning and late afternoon. It is small enough to crawl into a rodent burrow, slip into a crevice, or duck under a flat rock to take shelter during the heat of the day. At cooler times, its compact size allows the tortoise to quickly raise its body temperature to a comfortable level by basking in the sun. Destruction of habitat for farming and ranching is the primary threat to its survival.