# Metallivore
A metallivore is any monster in NetHack that subsists on a diet of metal.

Contents

1 Description
2 Strategy
3 Messages
4 Variants

4.1 UnNetHack

5 See also
6 References

Description
The following monsters are considered metallivorous:

rock moles
rust monsters
xorns
Rock moles and xorns can eat any item made of iron, copper, silver, gold, mithril, or some other metal. Rust monsters can only eat iron objects, because the others are not subject to rust. Iron that is not rustproof is considered a treat to pet metallivores, including tins of monster - if you are polymorphed into one, you can bite right into a tin to open it immediately. After eating a metallic object, metallivores have a chance of leaving behind a pile of rocks.[1]

Strategy
Some players will polymorph themselves into metallivores so that they can gain intrinsics from eating jewelry.
Hostile metallivores are annoying to deal with, as they may reach metallic loot and consume it before you can. Conversely, pet metallivores are fairly easy to keep fed, since most monsters that you defeat will drop metal armor or weapons. A pile of darts is a tasty meal for a pet rock mole, and a rust monster will happily eat all those pairs of iron shoes that are cluttering up the Gnomish Mines.

Messages
You hear a crunching sound.
A monster is eating metal somewhere on this level.[2]

<monster> chews through the iron bars.
A monster is eating through iron bars.[3]
You hear a crunching noise.
As above, but you cannot see the monster.[4]
Variants
UnNetHack
In UnNetHack, metallivores may eat through iron bars.

See also
Diet
References

↑ mon.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 739

↑ mon.c in NetHack 3.4.3, line 698

↑ src/monmove.c in UnNetHack revision 1499, line 1310

↑ src/monmove.c in UnNetHack revision 1499, line 1313

</monster>