The Dassie rat (Petromus typicus) is a rodent that inhabits rocky areas in dry to semi-arid regions of Angola, Namibia, and South Africa. Its head-body length is about 14–21 cm and its tail about 12–17 cm. It has digits on its hands and feet and a flexible skeleton, allowing it to enter crevices in rocks. It is herbivorous, eating fruits, seeds, leaves, stems, and flowers, and obtains water from food and from mist. It is diurnal and active at dawn and dusk, and constructs nests lined with grass and twigs in rock crevices, living in colonies of several individuals or in pairs. Reproduction is associated with rainfall; gestation lasts about three months and typically yields 2–3 young. Population levels are stable, and the species is assessed as of Least Concern.