 Unlike most other mammals, they can effectively metabolise these minerals without access to vitamin D, which they lack because they are normally never exposed to sunlight.The basal metabolic rate of Damaraland mole rats is also unusually low for mammals of their size, at just 0.66 cm3 O2 / g · h.

Despite living in an entirely subterranean environment, Damaraland mole-rats exhibit circadian rhythms, and are active primarily during the day.Their levels of the hormone melatonin can be altered by artificially changing the length of apparent daylight, suggesting that they are at least able to distinguish light from dark, although their eyesight may otherwise be very poor.