Bartels's Javan maxomys occurs only on Java and has been recorded in montane forest at 1,300–2,000 m.
The head and back are reddish brown, with a darker line down the middle. The belly and chest have grey fur mixed with pale yellow or white hairs, and the tail tip is whitish.
It forages on the ground at night. The account says that detailed information about its diet and reproduction is not yet known.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.