A simple example of how to handle boto3 errors using botocore

boto3-error-example

import boto3
import botocore
import errorsns       # A custom SNS handler

def check_queue():
    client = boto3.client('sqs', region_name='us-east-1')
    req = client.receive_message(
        QueueUrl='https://sqs.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/123456789012/my-queue',
        MessageAttributeNames=[
            'JobID',
        ],
	      WaitTimeSeconds=20,
        MaxNumberOfMessages=1
    )['Messages'][0]
    global handle, jobid
    handle = req['ReceiptHandle']
    jobid = req['MessageAttributes']['JobID']['StringValue']
    try:
        print("The File ID is: %s") % (jobid)
        print("The Receipt Handle is: %s") % (handle)
    except botocore.exceptions.ClientError as e:
        msg = e.response['Error']['Message']
        errorsns.send(jobid, msg)