Being marsupials, female bilbies have a pouch. Although the pouch has 8 nipples, they usually only produce 1 or 2 young at a time. Like other species adapted to the climatic vagaries of the arid zone, bilbies are capable of breeding throughout the year whenever conditions are suitable.

Bilbies shelter during the day in burrows underground that may extend to 2m in depth. At night they leave the protection of the burrow to eat a variety of plant material (seeds, fruits and bulbs), insects and spiders.