How can i stop my girls screaming at me?

[MAAS412]

We're not talking squeals here, or shouts of excitement, we're talking full on screaming shrieks that you can hear from downstairs or even outside sometimes!
I mean, it's lovely that they're so excited to see us (or the food more like!) but I'm beginning to wonder if it's quite...normal?
They've always "sang" at us when it was veggie time, but since they've been inside (they used to have 8-10 hours in their run on the lawn everyday, and just be in their cage at night) it's just ridiculous now! You cant go upstairs for a wee in case they hear you and start up!
I'm afraid I think I've been guilty of giving in to their demands, as Betty especially has become VERY porky lately, so they're now on a strict diet, but I feel cruel.
Is it true that grass doesn't have that much nutritional value? So it cant be that they're missing...
Or is it the act of grazing that keeps them occupied?
They now have an indoor run (4ft by 5ft) which they are in all day, which has a huge box of hay, and a big bowl of pellets in all the time.
They get some grass clippings and dandelions from the garden most days, and every night when I get in from work they have their veggies, which vary.

So could it be boredom? Do guinea pigs "comfort eat"? They have houses and beds and tunnels and a wicker ball thing, and attention throughout the day (fiance works from home).
How does everyone else manage when it's no longer suitable for them to be outside?
Even if I've just fed them a batch of various veg, if my fiance walks in, or vice versa, they'll expectantly start wheeking like they need more.. :{

Sorry for long one! But just starting to worry there's something I'm missing in their diet/entertainment?

Thanks :{

 

[pelicano]

I think it's the novelty of having people around, who they associate with food! When I had house bunnies, I had to have the piggy room door closed, as the bunnies would often wander in there and start scoffing. Once I'd lost the bunnies I started having the door open again, and they seemed particularly wheeky as a result - basically they were just responding to every move I made in the house! I definitely remember sneaking up the stairs!

My Cassie has this thing where she associates the sound of the front door with me getting grass from the garden. If I go out, or answer the door, I hear 'wheek wheek wheek' from upstairs!

 

[Midge&Panda]

Paprika our smallest girl has the loudest voice, we to can hear it from outside the house.

 

[Romily]

My piggies are the same and it drives my OH to distraction! I have to say I feel very loved!

 

[Freela]

Mine 'scream' at me too... they are savvy that plastic bags crinkling often means hay, and a fridge door opening often means fruit and veggies. They also know that when I put the baby gates up in the hallway it means free play time and they accordingly go nuts. I don't think they are lacking anything... sometimes my kids will ask me what the pigs are saying, and I always tell them I think it's some variation of "Feed me! Pay attention to me! And then feed me some more!" LOL!

 

[Tupeny]

Do you have a regular time when you give the pigs their food? I've found that when I keep to regular times I get a bit of peace the rest of the time but when I feed fresh food as and when, they call whenever it's run out, when I open the back door (could be getting grass) open the fridge(could be getting veggies) or move a carrier bag (could have been to the shop... and so on....

Mine are very noisy, two are especially loud + three also chew the bars when they are especting grass etc so I try to stick to a routine when I can....