Oh... this reminds me of the Chinese turtle that i've had 10 years back. What kind of turtle do you have? Ideally, they are to be placed in an outdoor environment. Many say that turtles do not need a lot of attention, but i think they are just as sensitive as any pet animals. In fact, some turtles that do not feel "happy" would run away, or starve themselves until they die.

http://www.turtletanks.org/pet-turtle-care.html