It should have closely fitting feathers, a bright, clear eye and no scaly growths around the eyes, cere, or legs and feet. Healthy budgerigars are alert, active and interested in their surroundings and companions. Be wary of birds which appear sleepy or lethargic when other birds around them are not. There are a number of diseases and afflictions which can affect budgerigars and if you suspect that your bird is unwell you should seek veterinary assistance immediately as birds often do not show signs of illness until they are almost at the point of no recovery.
Many budgerigars become quite tame and also are excellent talkers.
To hand tame a budgie or teach it to talk it is necessary to obtain one while it is very young - preferably straight out of the nest. The colours deepen during the breeding season. The young birds all have a somewhat similar mauve shade, as do certain coloured adults outside the breeding season. In adult birds the eye will have a white ring and a black pupil while the baby birds have a black eye without the white ring. An experienced breeder can usually accurately assess the sex of young birds.