Did they specifically say your blood would be a year old, or is he just an '03? He could be a late '03 animal that's been maintenance fed, which would explain his size.

As far as color goes, never judge a blood's color for the first 24 hours you have it. They stress from shipping & usually come in looking blah.

If you have expectations as to what you want your blood to look like, it helps to ask for pictures beforehand. Babies can be extremely variable.

K