Cybermat Cybermats were small cyborg s used as advance guards , plague carriers and energy thieves by the Cybermen . Physical characteristics . The various types of Cybermat seen so far have all had a metallic body , usually segmented . Some types have had eyes , some mouths , and some have had cilia . At least one type had visible organic teeth . By some accounts , the Cybermats were created by Cybermen from bodies or body parts of humanoids not suitable for Cyber - conversion : pets , very young child ren and babies . ( AUDIO : " Spare Parts " , PROSE : " Illegal Alien " , AUDIO : " The Crystal of Cantus " ) Variants . Early in the Cybermen ' s history , before they froze themselves on Telos , some variants had crystalline eyes and antennae through which they received commands . These Cybermats resembled oversized metallic . They had segmented bodies with cilia - like tactile sensor probes along the bases of their heads . Some , though not all , Cybermats of this kind could fit in the palm of a humanoid hand . ( TV : " The Tomb of the Cybermen " ) In the 21st century , when the Cybermen attempted to infiltrate Space Station W3 , they had photoreceptors for eyes rather than crystal - based eyes , spines down their backs and lacked the antennae . Otherwise , they looked similar to the kind seen on Telos . ( TV : " The Wheel in Space " ) Also in the 21st century , a type of Cybermat that had been buried beneath Colchester could drain electrical energy from the lights in town . This Cybermat had black , teardrop - eyes like Cybermen and an opening mouth with organic teeth . ( TV : " Closing Time " ) When the Cybermen infiltrated Nerva Beacon in a plot to destroy Voga , the Cybermats had segmented , eyeless , flat worm - like bodies without cilia . ( TV : " Revenge of the Cybermen " ) Another variant was a sleeker and more high - tech version of the Telosian Cybermats . Unlike the Telos version , these Cybermats were purposed with biting humans and infecting them with a virus , much like the Cybermats at the Nerva Beacon . However , instead of being deadly , the virus mutated flesh into metal and the victims became Cyberslave s . ( GAME : " Blood of the Cybermen " ) Future Cybermen used smaller drones called Cybermite s , which the Eleventh Doctor described as " Not even a Cybermat . " ( TV : " Nightmare in Silver " ) Weaknesses . Cybermats shared the Cybermen ' s weakness for gold . ( TV : " Revenge of the Cybermen " ) They could also be disabled with electric charges , ( TV : " The Tomb of the Cybermen " ) although this weakness seems to have been eliminated later ; one was used to siphon electricity from power sources instead . The same model proved vulnerable to the sonic screwdriver , which was able to either stun or fry the Cybermat memory . ( TV : " Closing Time " ) They could also be disabled with a sonic pulse , using an amplifier . ( GAME : " Blood of the Cybermen " ) History . The Cybermats originated on Mondas during the earliest phases of Cyberman history , when most of the planet had not yet been converted . They were kept as pets . ( AUDIO : " Spare Parts " ) The Cyber - tombs on Telos had tunnels for the Cybermats to move from the tombs to the main control rooms . ( TV : " The Tomb of the Cybermen " ) Cybermats were also seen on the surface of Telos . ( GAME : " The Doctor and the Dalek " ) On GSO Arctic Drilling Station in 2010 , most of the crew had been converted into Cyberslave s by the Cybermat ' s nanovirus . The Eleventh Doctor repelled the Cybermats with a specific frequency on a sonic amplifier device and found a cure for the nanovirus to treat Chisholm . ( GAME : " Blood of the Cybermen " ) In 2011 , a group of Cybermen who had crashed on Earth centuries before were able to make their way to the surface . A Cybermat was used to drain electrical energy for the crashed Cybership so they could begin full Cyber Conversions . One was named " Bitey " by the Eleventh Doctor for its organic mouth . The Doctor reprogrammed it to drain power from the Cybership , but a Cyberman stepped on Bitey , destroying it . ( TV : " Closing Time " ) The Cybermats were used to guard the Cyberfactory when the Ninth Cyber Legion invaded London in 2012 . The Cybermats were destroyed with the Cyberfactory . ( GAME : " The Eternity Clock " ) Cybermen from the 30th century who travelled back to 1940 also employed Cybermats and harvested human s to make more of them . ( PROSE : " Illegal Alien " ) The Cybermats appeared to have something to do with the conversion process . ( COMIC : " Dreadnought " ) In 2503 , a Cybermat smuggled itself aboard the " Vanguard " and began sabotaging its systems . Vol shot it , disabling its weapons , but the Cybermen reprogrammed it to take control of the crew ' s minds . ( AUDIO : " Sword of Orion " ) When the Cybermen allies with Rassilon to change history , a swarm of Cybermats covered the Doctor ' s TARDIS when the Eighth Doctor stepped out . ( COMIC : " Supremacy of the Cybermen " ) External links .