my chopper has black dots too

Question
Hi, thanks for this web site, I ve been reading your previous answers for a similar problem that i have with my new budgie Chopper. (it still has dark lines on his forehead, not sure how old it is)

I noticed dots on my budgies "forehead" couple of weeks ago.First they were red tiny dots. I thought at first that they were red mites and did the white sheet test. I didnt find anything to suggest red mites. So i assumed that they were injuries from either a fall or from the fighting my 2 budgies have over millet.
Now those dots have turned into black dots that are size of pepper grains.(clearly visible) the dots seem to be on the ends of the feathers on choppers forehead. the feathers that have them look like they have been pulled from chopper and look to be slightly lighter in color than the rest of the feathers on choppers head.
Choppers behavior has not changed but he has been scrathing himself a lot more than his friend jessica.
Also chopper has been a lot smaller from the start and doesnt seem to have grown a lot.
He has excellent appetite and is the more livelier one of my budgies. Both birds have been moulting but i haven seen them pulling feathers in any unususal way. Choppers feathers look less shiny than jessicas and a bit "messy".

I noticed a previous message re : black dots
did we ever find out what was the cause of them?

Answer
Hi, Ulla,

I don't know the results of the other "black dot" post.  I'm not really sure what is being described here...I'd need to see a photo.  If this bird is molting and is a young bird (obviously the bird is under 3 months old with black lines on the forehead), what you are seeing could just be the new feathers coming in that are colored black on the very tips, but you also mention that Chopper's feathers are less shiny, messy, etc.  Could be that Chopper has a medical problem going on that needs to be diagnosed by an avian vet.  Lighter in color would tell me these are newer feathers.  If Jessica is overpreening Chopper, these could be tiny dots of blood...look at the bird closely to see if you can see any scabs or areas that are being overpreened.  The bird could have had its head down and got something on the tips of the feathers.  Parrots don't normally get feather mites unless they are exposed to the outside environment on a regular basis (like being housed outside).  If you can send a photo, I'll provide an E-Mail address or if you can post a photo on the internet and give me the address, I could look there.

Chrys