Little is known about this species. Apparently, it has a preference for forests that contain bamboo or bamboo vines, but it also has been reported from degraded habitats in the Sambirano River valley, as well as in patches of bamboo surrounded by agricultural land

They are called bamboo lemurs because they almost exclusively eat bamboo, which helps them sharpen their teeth.

The lesser gentle lemurs live together in groups of three to five animals, which probably represent families composed of a male, one or two females and their offspring. They communicate with a variety of sounds.

Gestation lasts 135 to 150 days and ends between September and January, when the female bares two young. These are weaned after approximately four months (if the food supply is ample) and are fully mature at two years of age. Their life expectancy is up to twelve years.

Listed as Vulnerable as the species is thought to have undergone a reduction of more than 30% over the past 27 years (assuming a generation length of 9 years) due primarily to a decline in area and quality of habitat within the known range of the species and levels of exploitation due to hunting.