Adults live in the intestine of rodents, using their coiled bodies to wrap around intestinal villi to maintain attachment. Females release eggs which pass in the feces. The eggs hatch within a few days and the L1 molts through to the L3 in a few more days. The L3 is infective to another definitive host. When accidentally eaten, the L3 penetrates the intestinal mucosa of the new host, and molts to the L4. By about 1 week post-infection, the L4 has caused an inflammation and nodule it its site of penetration, and it soon molts to the adult stage, and re-enters the lumen of the intestine. The young adults then migrate to their preferred site, which is the small intestine near the pylorus. The females begin laying eggs about 2 weeks post-infection, and can continue for several months. The lesion caused by the developing parasite in the intestinal wall heals.