The Damaraland mole rat's body is cylindrical and covered in short, thick, and glossy fur that varies from brown to buff or black in color, though they have a light-colored patch on their head. Their legs are short and stout with relatively large feet. They have small eyes and ears. A mole rat's teeth grow continuously, especially its prominent upper and lower incisors, and need frequent sharpening. To do so, a mole rat moves its lower jaw in a forward, backward, and side-to-side motion. The more a mole rat digs, the more often it needs to sharpen its teeth.