Thank you all who are trying to understand this poster's mistake. I did try to stop the debate earlier, but to no avail obviously. Your bird will trust you again. It will take time as anyone who is smaller and scared, but I am sure your bird knows you love her.

Though I have never hit, I do snap or clap when my birds misbehave to get their attention that it's wrong. I do the same to my children and other pets. I do dominance training and become alpha or head of the flock. Some would find this particular form wrong, but it works for all of us and I'm still very much loved and not feared.

You are not a sociopath, nor do I see those tendencies. As a person getting her Masters in Psychology, I can say that. It WAS an honest accident, not abuse. It was wrong, but the poster knows this. I do not abuse my animals or my children, but I do discipline them with voice and body language.

As Val said, when I was younger (11 or 12) my first cat saw my fingers moving on the arm of a couch and attacked them. It hurt and out of instinct I swatted her. I felt awful and apologized and cuddled her after and she never hated or feared me. I loved that cat and still to this day does not see it as abuse or sociopath behavior.

I think there was great advice given, the bird is okay. The poster is remorseful. Lets try a little harder to be respectful and caring. It is okay to be concerned for the bird, as I would be if it were a child, but it's another thing to get riled up and off track. That helps no one and makes us all look bad.

So lets try to do better next time. I know this is a loving community when it can be. Lets continue to show that to newcomers and us uh...oldcomers(i know not a word) alike!