Budgerigar Basics:
Cage Size: Budgies require a bigger cage than you may think. Pet shops have sold deceptively small cages all too often, cages with only a square foot of space... barely large enough for the bird to turn around, much less fly from side to side. You should buy the largest cage you can afford. The minimum dimensions should be: 24in. x 24in. x 18in. And of course, since birds don't fly straight up and down, they prefer a wider cage. Some cages are very tall, but still only a foot in diameter, this is not enough room for a budgie. Although they can live in small cages, they can not thrive in small cages. If you can't afford at least the minimum cage, you shouldn't get a budgie.
Food: Another common myth with budgies is that they only need to eat seed. However, you should give your bird a mixture of pellets, seeds, veggies (grated usually), fruits, dried fruits, and a few healthy table scraps (like pasta without the sauce and if you eat meat, leave that out on your bird's portion). Budgies can also eat an occasional mealworm, although this is not necessary.
Water: I recommend that you give your bird it's water in a water bottle made for budgies. Of course, do not immediately switch your bird to this... most likely, when you get your budgie, it will not be accustomed to drinking from a water bottle. Offer it both the water dish and water bottle, until you actually see your bird drinking from the water bottle. Water bottles are preferable to water dishes because they stay cleaner, birds can not throw debris in them and cause bacterial growth which can lead to diseases.
Grooming: Your bird will preen it's own feathers, but you must offer it a bird bath occasionally. If your bird does not like it's bird bath at first, don't panic, keep trying. Or try a different type of bird bath. Buddy even likes to bathe under a faucet.
You also will need to clip their nails occasionally. I do not recommend sand paper perches as they irritate the bird's feet. However, if you'd like to help keep the nails short, get a cement perch. However, make sure that is not your bird's only perch.
The bird will also sharpen it's beak on the cement perch. You will also need a cuttlebone, to provide beak work and calcium for the bird. They also like wooden toys to chew up.
Lifespan: Budgies live about 7 to 12 years. However, they can live much longer with good care. The longest living budgie I've ever heard of lived to the ripe old age of 29. But they won't live as long as the larger parrots.
Size: Budgerigars are very small parrots, at only about 7 inches from head to tail.
Cost: People often state that budgies are the cheapest pets there are. However, even though they can be all the way from $15 and up into the hundreds for special varieties, I've found they are not the cheapest pets. Once you add in the cage, food, treats and toys it can be costly. To me though they are well worth the cost.
Time: Birds are not pets to be left alone in cages all day. If you want a pet like that, get a fish. Birds want to have fun for at least a few hours a day out of their cage (either on a play gym or with you).
Diseases: There are quite a few diseases that budgies can get, ask your vet for more info.
Allergies: If you or someone in your house is allergic to birds, it is not wise to get a budgie as a pet.
Where To Buy a Budgie: While you see budgies in newspaper ads, pet shops, and many other places, it is best to buy from a breeder, or at least a bird specialty store.
How to Pick a Healthy Budgie: A healthy budgie will be alert and active. A bird sitting on the bottom of the cage is not healthy. The vent should be clean and the eyes and cere (right above the beak, containing the nostrils) should be free of debris. It should enjoy interacting with the other budgies, and it is best to only buy from a cage where none of the animals are sick.
Male or Female?: I've found males to be louder and a bit more aggressive and I've found females to be calmer and quieter. However, I think there really isn't that great of a difference. With young birds, you can't tell if they are male or female. However, after their first molt, you can tell by looking at their cere. The cere on a male is blue, on a female it is brownish. Some people say that male budgies talk more, however, I do not think that is true.
Safety: Make sure to keep your house or the room you choose the bird to be in, safe. Do not put the bird in the kitchen or garage, because of the fumes and many dangers. If you do not choose to clip your bird's wings, make sure it cannot escape the room when it is flying free.
Taming and Training: For training, you may or may not choose to clip your bird's wings. I have found it best to clip the wings while teaching your bird basic commands, but then once they are well behaved, they can be allowed to fly around the room. One very necessary command is the step-up command. You can teach your bird the step-up command by pressing a perch against it's abdomen, and as it steps up, you say, "Step-up" and then give it a reward. Have it jump from perch to perch. Finally, you can simply say "Step-up" and it will jump onto your hand. Birds are very smart and can learn many things. With Buddy, I use clicker training, so that he knows that a click means he has done good. However, that is not the only way of training, as long as you are consistent, you should get the desired results.
Good Luck with your new pet!
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