Sandile is only found in deserts, with the exception of Alola, where the warm environment is comfortable enough for them to appear elsewhere. It usually burrows under the surface of the sand, with only its nose and eyes appearing above ground. Due to being so close to the surface, it can move around the desert and allow the heat of the sand to regulate its body temperature. This also serves as a way of hiding from enemies. Its movement through sand has been described as being similar to swimming. When the sun sets, it burrows deep into the sand to sleep until sunrise. As seen in the anime, in the wild, Sandile can be mischievous and potentially troublesome to humans. However, Sandile will protect another of its species, and can be caring at times. Sandile is an ambush predator, hiding under the sand and waiting for unwary prey, such as Trapinch, to walk over it before it bites on their legs. However, Sandile is not very skilled at hunting prey, thus it also mostly eats anything that collapses in the desert; hence it has been known as "the cleaner of the desert."