I have been noticing lately a few members birds have bacterial infections.
What causes this? Is there any one particular thing? I kind of get worried. I try and keep my cages clean and water and feed dishes clean.
Just wanting a little info on this........

A few things came to mind. First, bacteria in themselves do not need to be a problem (to the contrary; they might well boost the immune system, just like research also seems to be finding for humans). They only become a problem when a bird can't fight them.

I'd say that either means that for some reason the bird's resistance (immune system) is off (and that can be caused by an underlying health problem, or simply stress) or that we're are talking some really nasty bacteria that are difficult to fight.

Birds come with gut bacteria too, just like we do. E coli and what not are in our guts. That's normally not a problem as long as things stay balanced in there. And as long as everything is working well, things do stay in balance.

Then I thought of insects, flies that come in, ourselves and our other pets. We carry bacteria too, and some of those are not good for birds. The ones in saliva are often mentioned (I don't know details).

Another thing that came to mind was fruit and veggies, of course. Lettuce often comes with salmonella (though I am sure it depends on what country the lettuce comes from). I know this because I happened to be working at a dept/ministry at the time of a chicken-eggs related salmonella problem and someone there mentioned lettuce.

And then - and now I am going off track - maybe for bacteria that are common in poultry and that can also affect our fids, use of antibiotics in the industry? Holland has a whoppingly low incidence of MRSA infections because physicians it's very restrictive in prescribing antiobiotics. However, a threat in that area has arisen from hog farming, through the standard use of antibiotics in pigs in Holland. That leads to mutations in bacteria. Also, though it may be total BS but when I had an infection last year and had four series of the highest dose of some antibiotic, it struck me that the very thing that antibiotics do to the bacteria (to their cell walls for instance) might also make those bacteria unrecognizable to the human body's defense system.

I am not being very helpful am I?

But then, why do we get ill? To fight something. Illness is not necessarily a bad thing; it is primarily a sign that the body is fighting something. It's when the body is not able to cope when there may be a problem. Bacteria are part of life.

Nah, I am not helping. I know! I am just rambling in the hope that something useful comes up.

With regard to saliva, even when you speak, droplets of saliva start floating around in the air... That is something that has been on my mind... (I have a possibly immuno-compromised bird.) I try not to talk about their food and water dishes. Just in case.

Hm, and I don't eat meat, so I forgot because I never handle raw meat, but I think raw meat also tends to be associated with nasty bacteria. I have no idea whether those could affect our fids.

Bottom line, I suppose: Feed and treat your fids well!

Hi, I posted the other bacteria question.
I keep my cage very clean, fresh water every day, change food daily.
Buddy so far has not showed much interest in fresh veggies, he prefers dried ones,
so old, fermenting food is not a problem. He east Zupreem pellets for the staple of his diet.
I was told it can come from just about anywhere - so I now am sooo careful not to handle
my other critters and then touch him.
It is all very confusing - I thought I had a healthy bird, and whamo one day a big pile of
feathers and off to the vet to be diagnosed with a bacterial infection.
Now I can't stop the feather picking - I will keep everyone updated, I have another call into
the vet.

So I am guessing I am doing everything right........and that this is just like plucking feathers.........you just are lucky that your bird doesn't do it and lucky that your bird doesn't have a bacterial infection.
I am so sorry for all of the people out there who have birds that have bacterial infections and that pluck.

I think you pretty much nailed it, Sandy. Some birds can get them, others don't. Some might be more prone, others are not. I think if you keep a clean cage and do all you can to prevent bacteria growth than that is about all you can do. Every thing from thereon is chance.