Naked mole rats are subterranean Taggaran rodents that live in great hives. They do not feel pain, they have slow metabolisms, they can go long hours without breath, they do not get cancer, and they live for hundreds of years. They react dramatically to changes in temperature, but they do have a layer of insulation in their skin for protection. They are small, about 4 inches long, but their queens are about twice that size. They have small, poor eyes; thin, short legs; and huge teeth. They dig with their teeth. They are pink or yellow in hue.

Each hive has one queen, a half dozen breeders, and hundreds of workers. The workers are split between tunnelers, soldiers, and a few other skill sets.