The Shrew-faced Squirrel is a forest floor inhabitant of undisturbed primary and mature secondary forests : it is secretive in habits and rarely seen. It is medium-sized, feeds primarily on forest floor insects, and probably nests in hollow logs.
The fur of the Shrew-faced Ground Squirrel is dark brown above, and pale buff to white below. The upper incisors are much reduced in comparison to other squirrel species, and the tongue is very long : these are adaptations to its insectivorous diet which comprises ants, termites, earthworms and beetles.