FINCHforum

my orange cheek wax bill started getting what appears to be 'gray hairs' on his head and also scratching a bit, at first it was maybe a few stray hairs like 3 but now in the last week it has multiplied around his face, if I compared a picture from 2 weeks ago to one today u would notice a big difference. Has anyone else ever had this issue? Could this be a type of mite? It seems like he never stops grooming himself, Im not sure if this is a nervous habit, but it is def a new habit and this is a visible difference. The gray hair appears thicker than the other hair more like a dense whisker. Also his nails are a bit long, Im wondering if that may somehow be the issue..
In a separate cage is my red cheek cordon bleu, when he first arrived he was quite loud and then would get hoarse, it seemed to go back and forth, very loud during the day and by 6pm he would be hoarse, now he is permanently 'hoarse' and sounds like a cricket, he is otherwise very active, but I am wondering of this could be air sac mites? as there is a whistle quality to the noise he makes. Although both birds are caged separately they do share the same flight area and perches.
Both issues are independent of one another.
My orange cheek waxbill does not seem to have the high energy he used to and spends more time preening then being his active self.
(I dewormed them in march, cordon bleu arrived first week of march, and have had orange cheek since sept with zero issue until now)
These are my first 2 finch birds- I refer to the more experienced on this site before trying anything, they are both on a varied diet, with treats, herbs, vitamin, calcium- they have their own flight cage each adjacent to one another and flight room for hours per day/ with bath- I also have antibiotic on hand (never used just in case of emergency)
Thank u for reading, Im trying to include any info that I have as I have no idea- so, any advice on either topic would be very helpful..

If the orange cheek has hair, whiskers, long nails and constantly grooms himself, he might be a cat! Sorry, I couldn't resist. It doesn't sound like mites. The cordon bleu probably wore his voice out calling for another cordon bleu.

wildbird LOL!! aww my poor cordon bleu, theres not another one around for many miles (and I will never order online again) he will have to wait until I go to the bird trade show perhaps in the fall, maybe something will turn up by then... so u think my orange cheek is ok? he looks like hes pulling his feathers out a bit, could this be molting?? something is going on here..ps I don't see any mites on the perch where he sits...

I think your orange cheek is molting. They get itchy, and preen a lot. Give it some store bought egg food or hard boil an egg and grate a little. Feed in a separate dish, and remove it after 2 hours so it doesn't spoil The dry store bought can stay in. You should be able to get some molting seed at a pet store or on the computer. You might need to clip the nails if they are very long. Or provide some sandstone or lava rock, so that the bird can wear them down. Is that bird trade show in New York City? I think there is also one in Harrisburg, Pa. this year.

wildbird ok thank u, I will try the cooked egg now, and go to store later for sandstone/lava rock & molting seed, Im a bit nervous of trimming the nails (I have the stop bleed powder in case) he is such a tiny little thing! yes, the show is in NY, some one from this site put me in touch with breeders in my area - is the show in PA also in the fall? (I have cousins out there, maybe Ill stop by) ps my cordon bleu loves the herbs u recommended a while back, so thanks again for that piece of advice ;) (Ill try to attach pic maybe u can see the 'whiskers' and his nails lol) thanks again for all your feedback

update) he didn't touch the egg, yes u are right he is molting, what I am referring to as 'whiskers' are pin feathers, my local pet store did not have the rock or egg food- I will check online.

better pic/ u can see his nails too

The nails need to be trimmed. Once they are shortened, he could have a narrower perch. What are the dimensions of his cage? It looks rather small.

Sounds like and looks like he is moulting. Supply him well with vitamins so he won't be stuck during the middle of the moult and never move on.

Looks like he’s going through a molt and his colours are coming through, I highly recommend sorting those nails though they are not looking good and get some bigger perches and really branches in the cage once they are